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Purpose This analysis evaluates the efficacy and safety of iclaprim versus vancomycin for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) in patients who were intravenous drug users (IVDUs). Methods A total of 621 patients who were IVDUs from 2 parallel Phase III, double-blind, randomized (1:1), active-controlled, multinational, multicenter trials (REVIVE-1 and REVIVE-2) were analyzed separately and pooled. This post hoc analysis summarizes the efficacy and safety profile of iclaprim 80 mg fixed dose compared with vancomycin 15 mg/kg administered intravenously during 2 h every 12 h for 5–14 days among this population. The primary end point of these studies was to determine whether iclaprim was noninferior (10% margin) to vancomycin in achieving a ≥20% reduction in lesion size at 48–72 h after initiation of treatment with the study drug (early clinical response) in the intent-to-treat population. The safety profile was assessed based on adverse events and laboratory parameters. Findings Iclaprim had higher early clinical response rates (85.8%; 95% CI, 81.5%–89.4%) compared with vancomycin (79.8%; 95% CI, 74.8%–84.2%) among patients with ABSSSIs who were IVDUs, with a treatment difference of +6.00% (95% CI, 0.06–12.0). The safety profile was similar in the iclaprim and vancomycin arms, with 3.7% and 5.0%, respectively, of patients discontinuing study therapy because of adverse events and 1.9% and 3.4%, respectively, of patients developing serious adverse events. Implications Iclaprim had a higher early clinical response rate and favorable safety profile compared with vancomycin for the treatment of ABSSSIs in patients who were IVDUs. Iclaprim may be a valuable treatment option for ABSSSIs in this patient population.

We herein disclose the first report of a first- row transition metal-catalyzed α,β-dehydrogenation of carbonyl compounds using allyl-nickel catalysis. This development overcomes several limitations of previously reported allyl-palladium-catalyzed oxidation, and is further leveraged for the development of an oxidative cycloalkenylation reaction that provides access to bicycloalke-nones with fused, bridged, and spirocyclic ring systems using unactivated ketone and alkene precursors.

Iclaprim, a diaminopyrimidine antimicrobial, was compared with vancomycin for treatment of patients with acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSIs) in two studies (REVIVE-1 and REVIVE-2). Here, the efficacy and tolerability of iclaprim in a pooled analysis of results from both studies was explored. REVIVE-1 and REVIVE-2 were phase 3, double-blind, randomised, multicentre, active-controlled, non-inferiority (margin of 10%) trials, each designed to enrol 600 patients with ABSSSI using identical study protocols. Iclaprim 80 mg and vancomycin 15 mg/kg were administered intravenously every 12 h for 5-14 days. The primary endpoint was a ≥20% reduction from baseline in lesion size [early clinical response (ECR)] at the early time point (ETP) (48-72 h after starting study drug) in the intent-to-treat population. In REVIVE-1, ECR at the ETP was 80.9% with iclaprim versus 81.0% with vancomycin (treatment difference -0.13%, 95% CI -6.42% to 6.17%). In REVIVE-2, ECR was 78.3% with iclaprim versus 76.7% with vancomycin (treatment difference 1.58%, 95% CI -5.10% to 8.26%). The pooled ECR was 79.6% with iclaprim versus 78.8% with vancomycin (treatment difference 0.75%, 95% CI -3.84 to 5.35%). Iclaprim and vancomycin were comparable for the incidence of mostly mild adverse events, except for a higher incidence of elevated serum creatinine with vancomycin (n = 7) compared with iclaprim (n = 0). Iclaprim achieved non-inferiority compared with vancomycin for ECR at the ETP and secondary endpoints with a similar safety profile in two phase 3 studies for treatment of ABSSSI suspected or confirmed as caused by Gram-positive pathogens. [Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02600611 and NCT02607618.].

The use of allyl-palladium catalysis for the one-step α,β-dehydrogenation of ketones via their zinc enolates is reported. The optimized protocol utilizes commercially available Zn(TMP)(2) as base and diethyl allyl phosphate as oxidant. Notably, this transformation operates under salt-free conditions and tolerates a diverse scope of cycloalkanones.

The telescoping of allyl-palladium catalyzed ketone dehydrogenation with organocuprate conjugate addition chemistry allows for the introduction of aryl, heteroaryl, vinyl, acyl, methyl, and other functionalized alkyl groups chemoselectively to a wide variety of unactivated ketone compounds via their enone counterparts. The compatibility of the dehydrogenation conditions additionally allows for efficient trapping of the intermediate enolate with various electrophiles. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by comparison to several previously reported multistep sequences.

Background Opioid addiction in the United States has reached epidemic proportions threatening public health. This analysis evaluates the baseline characteristics and bacterial causes of ABSSSI in patients who were IVDU from two parallel Phase 3 trials comparing the treatment of iclaprim with vancomycin. Methods A total of 621 patients who were IVDU from two parallel Phase 3, double-blind, randomized (1:1), active-controlled, multinational, multicenter trials (REVIVE-1 and REVIVE-2) were analyzed both separately and pooled. This post-hoc analysis summarizes the baseline bacterial causes of ABSSSI identified among IVDU. Per protocol, ABSSSI (major abscesses, cellulitis, or wound infections) were defined as having either the presence of purulent or seropurulent drainage before or after surgical intervention of the wound or at least 3 of the following signs and symptoms: discharge, erythema (extending at least 2 cm beyond the wound edge in any direction), swelling and/or induration, heat and/or localized warmth, and/or pain and/or tenderness to palpation. IVDU was defined based on subjected-reported medical history. At the baseline visit, ABSSSI were sampled for microbiological culture. Cultures were performed locally, and isolates were submitted to the central microbiology laboratory. Results Among IVDU with ABSSSI, average age was 44 years, 67.6% were male, average lesion size was 322 cm2, 10.8% had abnormal renal function (CrCl ≤ 90 mL/minute), and 3.9% had bacteremia. The bacterial causes of ABSSSI among IVDU are shown in the Table. Conclusion IVDU, a growing population, are vulnerable to ABSSSI. S. aureus, including MRSA, and S. anginosus group were the most commonly identified bacterial causes of ABSSSI in patients who are IVDU. Therefore, antibiotic selection should cover these bacteria among IVDU who present with an ABSSSI. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

An improved protocol for the formal elimination of propene from organic substrates is reported. This process entails the ozonolytic conversion of an alkene to a methoxy hydroperoxide which undergoes fragmentation mediated by copper and iron. The use of soluble Cu(BF4)2 and Fe(BF4)2 results in reproducible results up to a 100 gram scale.

We report a total synthesis of the pyridine-containing limonoid alkaloid (−)-xylogranatopyridine B in 11 steps from commercially available dihydrocarvone. The central pyridine ring was assembled by a late-stage fragment coupling approach employing a modified Liebeskind pyridine synthesis. One fragment was prepared by an allyl-palladium catalyzed oxidative enone β-stannylation, in which the key bimetallic β-stannyl palladium enolate intermediate undergoes a β-hydride elimination. This methodology also allowed introduction of alkyl and silyl groups to the β-position of enones.

Background Trimethoprim inhibits sodium channels in the distal portion of the renal tubule, thereby impairing renal potassium excretion. Trimethoprim has been associated with a greater risk of hyperkalemia compared with other antibiotics (amoxicillin, nitrofurantoin, cefalexin, ciprofloxacin). An analysis of Phase 3 studies was conducted to determine whether iclaprim, under development for ABSSSI and also a selective bacterial dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor like trimethoprim, is associated with hyperkalemia, relative to vancomycin, an antibiotic not associated with hyperkalemia. Methods A post-hoc safety analysis was conducted on pooled results of two Phase 3, double-blind, randomized (1:1), active-controlled trials (REVIVE-1/-2) in patients with ABSSSI. These trials compared iclaprim 80 mg fixed doses with vancomycin 15 mg/kg; both administered intravenously every 12 hours for 5–14 days. Hyperkalemia was defined as serum potassium (K) ≥5.5 mmol/L, if normal at baseline, while on study drug. Hyperkalemia was compared between treatment groups and stratified subgroup comparisons were performed. Results Demographics and baseline disease characteristics were similar between the pooled iclaprim and vancomycin groups (table). Hyperkalemia occurred during treatment in 1.5% (9/592) and 2.5% (15/599) of patients treated with iclaprim and vancomycin, respectively. Of the patients with hyperkalemia, one patient in each treatment group had moderate to severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance [CrCl] 15–59 mL/minute). Among patients with moderate to severe renal impairment on any RAS, KSD or K supplements, hyperkalemia occurred in 1/16 and 0/16 patients in the iclaprim and vancomycin groups, respectively, and in 2/83 and 0/46 patients with mild to no renal impairment. No patients with hyperkalemia experienced adverse events of palpitations, chest pain, myalgia, muscular weakness or fatigue. Conclusion No differences in hyperkalemia were seen between the iclaprim and vancomycin groups in the Phase 3 REVIVE studies. In general, few cases of hyperkalemia occurred among patients with renal impairment treated with concomitant angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers treated with iclaprim. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Background The incidence and outcomes of patients with S. aureus isolates with an iclaprim MIC >8 µg/mL, a concentration that is not systemically achievable, were determined among patients from two Phase 3 studies for the treatment of ABSSSI, REVIVE-1 and -2. Methods REVIVE-1 and REVIVE-2 studies were 600-patient, double-blinded, randomized (1:1), active-controlled trials among patients with ABSSSI that compared the safety and efficacy of iclaprim 80 mg fixed dose with vancomycin 15 mg/kg (adjusted for renal function), both administered intravenously over 2 hours every 12 hours for 5–14 days. Patients had a bacterial skin infection suspected or confirmed to be due to a Gram-positive pathogen with a lesion size ≥75 cm2. An early clinical response (ECR) was defined as a ≥20% reduction in lesion size compared with baseline at the early time point (ETP) 48–72 hours after the start of administration of the study drug in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population. A clinical cure, defined as complete resolution of all signs and symptoms of ABSSSI was measured at the end of therapy (EOT) and test of cure (TOC) visit, 7–14 days after the last dose of study drug. At baseline, EOT and TOC visits, ABSSSIs were sampled for microbiological culture and broth microdilution susceptibility testing conducted in accordance with CLSI M7. Results The incidence of culture confirmed S. aureus isolates among patients with ABSSSI with an iclaprim MIC >8 µg/mL was 2.0% (16/790). Six were MSSA and 10 were MRSA. The clinical outcomes of these infections included ECR of 63% (10/16), EOT response of 81.3% (13/16) and the TOC response of 75% (12/16). For microbiological outcomes of these infections, the end of therapy response was 92.9% (13/14) and the test of cure response was 92.3% (12/13). In comparison, there was less variation in vancomycin MICs among the S. aureus isolates. For patients who were randomized to vancomycin and had a pathogen identified from their ABSSSI, the pooled ECR was 82.6% (242 of 293) at a vancomycin MIC of 0.5–1 µg/mL and one isolate from a patient with ECR had a MIC of 2 µg/mL. Conclusion Patients receiving iclaprim had good clinical and microbiological responses against S. aureus isolates with an iclaprim MIC >8 µg/mL, which are uncommon (2.0%). Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Background There are few data on dose optimization and clinical outcomes of antimicrobial agents based on patients' weight, despite the rising prevalence of obesity. Because there are physiologic, pharmacologic, and dosing differences related to weight, it is important to evaluate the impact of weight on antimicrobial agents to optimize clinical outcomes. Objectives This study compared effects of weight on efficacy and safety in patients treated with linezolid or vancomycin for complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSIs) and nosocomial pneumonia (NP) caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods We analyzed data from 2 clinical trials of patients randomized to receive a fixed dose of linezolid or weight-based dosing of vancomycin for the treatment of cSSSIs or NP caused by MRSA. For each study, patients were stratified into quartiles (Q1–4 [lowest to highest weight, respectively]). Clinical success, microbiologic success, and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated. Results The analysis included 632 patients with cSSSIs (linezolid, n=316; vancomycin, n=316) and 447 patients with NP (linezolid, n=224; vancomycin, n=223). Among patients with cSSSIs, clinical success rates at the study end with fixed-dose linezolid were similar across all weight quartiles and similar to weight-based dosing of vancomycin for Q1–3. Among Q4 (the highest weight quartile [97–295 kg]), clinical success with vancomycin was significantly lower compared with linezolid (69.5% vs 86.2%; P = 0.03). Among patients with NP, no significant differences in success rates between fixed-dose linezolid and weight-based dosing of vancomycin were observed across all quartiles. Frequencies of AEs were consistent across the quartiles for both indications and by treatment. Conclusions Except for Q4 within the vancomycin-treated patients for MRSA cSSSI, the efficacy of fixed-dosed linezolid and weight-based dosing of vancomycin was maintained across all weight quartiles and MRSA infection types. The AEs were consistent with the known safety profiles of each drug regardless of weight quartile. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00087490 and NCT00084266.

BackgroundLinezolid is active against a broad range of gram-positive pathogens and has the potential to also affect production of bacterial toxins and host immune function.ObjectiveTo assess the evidence for direct effects of linezolid on bacterial toxin synthesis and modulation of host immune responses.MethodsLiterature searches were performed of the PubMed and OVID databases. Reviews and non–English language articles were excluded. Articles with information on the effect of linezolid on bacterial toxin synthesis and immune responses were selected for further review, and data were summarized.ResultsSubstantial in vitro evidence supports effects of linezolid on bacterial toxin production; however, the strength of the evidence and the nature of the effects are mixed. In the case of Staphylococcus aureus, repeated observations support the inhibition of production of certain staphylococcal toxins (Panton-Valentine leukocidin, protein A, and α- and β-hemolysin) by linezolid, whereas only solitary reports indicate inhibition (toxic shock syndrome toxin-1, coagulase, autolysins, and enterotoxins A and B) or stimulation (phenol-soluble modulins) of toxin production by linezolid. In the case of Streptococcus pyogenes, there are solitary reports of linezolid inhibition (protein M, deoxyribonuclease, and streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins A, B, and F) or stimulation (immunogenic secreted protein 2 and streptococcal inhibitor of complement-mediated lysis) of toxin production, whereas published evidence for effects on streptolysin O production is conflicting. In vitro data are limited, but suggest that linezolid might also have indirect effects on host cytokine expression through inhibition of bacterial production of toxins. In vivo data from preclinical animal studies and a single clinical study in humans are limited and equivocal insofar as a potential role for linezolid in modulating the host inflammatory response; this is due in part to the difficulty in isolating antimicrobial effects and toxin synthesis inhibitory effects of linezolid from any secondary effects on host inflammatory response.ConclusionsAvailable evidence supports the possibility that linezolid can inhibit, and in some cases stimulate, toxin production in clinically relevant pathogens. However, more research will be needed to determine the potential clinical relevance of those findings for linezolid.

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic interaction of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) with BILR 355. In group A, 26 healthy participants were administered LPV/r (400mg/100mg) twice daily for 14 days, followed by coadministration of BILR 355, 150 mg twice daily for an additional 7 days. Pharmacokinetic assessments were performed on days 14 and 21. In group B, 8 healthy participants were given BILR 355/ritonavir (BILR 355/r, 150 mg/100mg) twice daily for 7 days. The pharmacokinetic data from group B (BILR 355/r-alone group) were also pooled with group B subjects from 3 similar phase I drug-drug interaction trials performed in parallel to this study. Coadministration with LPV/r resulted in a 51% decrease in steady-state area under plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 hours (AUC(0-12,ss)) and steady-state maximum measured plasma concentration over a dosing interval (C(max,ss)) and a 50% decrease in steady-state plasma concentration 12 hours post last dosing (C(12,ss)) for BILR 355. Exposure to LPV was not changed after coadministration. BILR 355/r was well tolerated in this study. There was no evidence of increased risk of lopinavir or ritonavir toxicity upon coadministration with BILR 355.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae is of concern. Up to 30% of pneumococcal isolates worldwide are multidrug resistant. Objective: The objective of this analysis was to assess the effectiveness of linezolid for the treatment of pneumonia caused by S pneumoniae , including multidrug-resistant S pneumoniae (MDRSP). Methods: Data from 7 Phase II and III clinical trials that assessed the efficacy of linezolid in community- or hospital-acquired pneumonia were pooled. Adults and children (aged ≤12 years) received linezolid 600 mg and 10 mg/kg, respectively, IV or PO q12h for 7 to 14 days, with the exception of patients with documented bacteremia who could be treated for up to 28 days. Patients with a confirmed baseline isolate of S pneumoniae , including MDRSP, were assessed for clinical and microbiological outcomes. MDRSP was defined as an isolated strain of S pneumoniae that was resistant to ≥3 classes of antibiotics. Clinical cure was defined as the resolution of clinical signs and symptoms of pneumonia compared with baseline, with either improvement or absence of progression of abnormalities on chest radiography. Microbiological eradication was defined as documented or presumed eradication at the test-of-cure (TOC) visit. Results from patients with indeterminate or missing outcomes at TOC were not included in the analyses. Results: Of the patients with no bacteremia and treated with linezolid, 19 adults had MDRSP and 165 had non-MDRSP, and 3 children had MDRSP and 7 had non-MDRSP. Clinical cure and microbiological eradication rates were not significantly different between those infected with an MDRSP or non-MDRSP pathogen, respectively, in adults (16/19 [84%] and 150/164 [91%]) and children (3/3 [100%] and 7/7 [100%]). Conclusion: Linezolid was efficacious for the treatment of pneumonia caused by S pneumoniae, including multidrug-resistant strains.

Hoonmo L Koo1,2, Herbert L DuPont1,2, David B Huang31Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; 2University of Texas at Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA; 3Veterans Affairs Medical Center, East Orange, NJ, USAAbstract: Travelers’ diarrhea is a common illness among international travelers from developed to developing countries. Travelers’ diarrhea is caused by ingestion of contaminated food and water. Bacteria are the primary cause of travelers’ diarrhea. In most surveys, the most common diarrheal pathogen identified is enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. There are several antimicrobial agents available for the treatment of travelers’ diarrhea including rifaximin which is approved in the United States for the treatment of travelers’ diarrhea due to noninvasive E. coli strains. In this review, we will review the most recent advances of rifaximin for the treatment and prevention of travelers’ diarrhea, with regard to its pharmacokinetics, in vitro susceptibility profile, and efficacy and safety data from clinical trials.Keywords: travelers’ diarrhea, rifaximin, treatment, prevention

Background & Aims: Antimotility agents provide rapid temporary relief of acute diarrhea, whereas antibiotics slowly cure the illness. Thus, the combination of an antimotility agent and an antibiotic may provide greater therapeutic benefit than either drug alone. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of rifaximin-loperamide in the treatment of travelers' diarrhea. Methods: Consenting adults with acute diarrhea (≥3 unformed stools in 24 hours with ≥1 symptom of enteric infection) were randomized to receive rifaximin 200 mg 3 times daily for 3 days; loperamide 4 mg initially followed by 2 mg after each unformed stool; or a combination of both drugs using the same dosing regimen. The primary end point was the median time from beginning therapy until passing the last unformed stool. Results: A total of 310 patients completed treatment with rifaximin (n = 102), loperamide (n = 104), or rifaximin-loperamide combination therapy (n = 104). The groups showed demographic similarity. Rifaximin and rifaximin-loperamide significantly reduced the median time until passage of the last unformed stool (32.5 ± 4.14 h and 27.3 ± 4.13 h, respectively) vs loperamide (69 ± 4.11 h; P = .0019). The mean number of unformed stools passed during illness was lower with rifaximin-loperamide (3.99 ± 4.28) compared with rifaximin (6.23 ± 6.90; P = .004) or loperamide alone (6.72 ± 6.93; P = .002). All treatments were well tolerated with a low incidence of adverse events. Conclusions: Rifaximin-loperamide therapy provided rapid symptomatic improvement and greater overall wellness compared with either agent alone.

Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica seroptype Typhi (S typhi), has an estimated worldwide prevalence of 12-33 million cases. The pathogenesis of this disease depends on the ingested inoculum size of S typhi, the virulence of the strain, the host's immune response and previous exposure, and local protective factors. Numerous extra-intestinal complications can occur with S typhi infection, including the involvement of the central nervous system (3-35%), cardiovascular system (1-5%), pulmonary system (1-86%), bone and joints (or =1%), hepatobiliary system (1-26%), genitourinary system (1%), and others. Due to an increase in multidrug-resistant S typhi, fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins have been increasingly used for typhoid fever and its complications. We describe the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, and treatment of extra-intestinal S typhi infections.

Background: The rickettsial diseases are an important group of infectious agents that have dermatological manifestations. These diseases are important to consider in endemic areas, but in certain suspicious cases, possible acts of bioterrorism should warrant prompt notification of the appropriate authorities. Objective: In this two part review article, we review these diverse diseases by examining established and up-to-date information about the pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the ricksettsiae. Methods: Using PubMed to search for relevant articles, we browsed over 500 articles to compose a clinically based review article. Results: Part one focuses on pathophysiology of the rickettsial diseases and the clinical aspects of the spotted fever group. Conclusions: At the completion of part one of this learning activity, participants should be able to discuss all of the clinical manifestations and treatments of the sported fever group. Participants should also be familiar with the pathophysiology of the rickettsial diseases.

Superficial fungal infections are common, especially onychomycosis, dermatophytoses, and superficial Candida infections. Most superficial fungal infections are treated with topical antifungal agents unless the infection covers an extensive area or is resistant to initial therapy. Onychomycosis often requires systemic therapy with griseofulvin, itraconazole, or terbinafine. The objective of this review is to provide the practicing dermatologist with the recommended available therapy for the treatment of common superficial fungal infections.

Genital herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Currently, there are three FDA-approved nucleoside analogs and other therapies such as foscarnet and cidofovir used to treat genital herpes. Resiquimod, the latest immune response modifier (IRM), has shown in vivo evidence of efficacy against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2. The first clinical trial involving resiquimod demonstrated that it reduced the recurrence rate of genital herpes, but phase III trials were suspended due to lack of efficacy. Resiquimod shows promise for other viral infections and as a vaccine adjuvant.

Although sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are underreported and underrecognized, they are a major source of morbidity, mortality, and represent a major socioeconomic cost in developing and industrialized nations. Individuals who develop STDs are often coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Coinfection with HIV both facilitates the natural history of STDs and worsens the clinical picture. The objective of this article is to provide a review to the practicing clinician on the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, methods of diagnosis, and treatment for four cutaneous STDs—chancroid, genital herpes, granuloma inguinale, and lymphogranuloma venereum—in coinfected HIV patients.

A pilot study was performed to compare the effects of a restricted physiologic diet in 48 subjects with those of an unrestricted diet in 57 subjects on the duration and symptoms of acute travelers' diarrhea among US adults being treated with an antimicrobial agent in Mexico. Restricted physiologic diet was defined as the avoidance of certain foods during diarrheal illness, as specified in limited published literature. The mean duration of diarrhea (37 vs. 33 h) and clinical symptoms were similar between those practicing the restricted diet and those practicing unrestricted diets. These results suggest that restricting diet during treatment of travelers' diarrhea with an antimicrobial agent is not associated with improvement of clinical symptoms or with decreased duration of diarrhea. However, a much higher number of subjects would need to be studied to prove this point statistically.

Reactive hemophagocytosis has been associated with neoplasia, bacteria, parasitic, and viral infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Here we present a case of reactive hemophagocytosis associated with the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), probably representing a syndrome termed the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) or immune reconstitution syndrome.

Moost studies of syncope include discussions of the etiology, evaluation, and diagnosis in the adult population; limited information is available about the causes in children and adolescents. While syncope is known to be more common in females, the role of early-onset menses with excessive blood loss needs further elucidation. The purpose of this report is to review 2 cases of syncope due to severe anemia from menses as the underlying etiology in adolescent females. Physicians should consider this entity in their differential diagnoses for prompt recognition and appropriate evaluation and management when evaluating an adolescent female for syncope.

This study investigated the effects of menstrual cycle phase on aggression in two groups of women, which differed in the severity of their self-reported perimenstrual symptoms. A low- and a high-symptom group were recruited using the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) to define the groups. Twenty-two subjects (11 low and 11 high symptom) participated across one menstrual cycle: during the premenstrual, menstrual, midfollicular, and ovulatory phases. The Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm was used to assess aggression on each day of participation. There were three main findings; a) rates of aggressive responding did not vary across phases of the menstrual cycle; b) the high-symptom group emitted higher rates of aggressive responding across the menstrual cycle than did the low-symptom group; and c) rates of aggressive responding correlated with the MDQ's behavioral and psychological scales and not the somatic scales. These findings indicate that the menstrual cycle phase does not differentially affect this laboratory measure of aggression. The differences found between the two symptom groups parallel a few reports indicating that women who differ in retrospectively reported mood and behavioral changes related to their menstrual cycle also differ on a number of other psychometric measures. Aggr. Behav. 24:9–26, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Cell-substrate adherence is a fundamental property of microorganisms that enables them to exist in biofilms. Our study focuses on adherence of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans to one substrate, silicone, that is relevant to device-associated infection. We conducted a mutant screen with a quantitative flow-cell assay to identify thirty transcription factors that are required for adherence. We then combined nanoString gene expression profiling with functional analysis to elucidate relationships among these transcription factors, with two major goals: to extend our understanding of transcription factors previously known to govern adherence or biofilm formation, and to gain insight into the many transcription factors we identified that were relatively uncharacterized, particularly in the context of adherence or cell surface biogenesis. With regard to the first goal, we have discovered a role for biofilm regulator Bcr1 in adherence, and found that biofilm regulator Ace2 is a major functional target of chromatin remodeling factor Snf5. In addition, Bcr1 and Ace2 share several target genes, pointing to a new connection between them. With regard to the second goal, our findings reveal existence of a large regulatory network that connects eleven adherence regulators, the zinc-response regulator Zap1, and approximately one quarter of the predicted cell surface protein genes in this organism. This limited yet sensitive glimpse of mutant gene expression changes had thus defined one of the broadest cell surface regulatory networks in C. albicans., Author Summary Most microorganisms adhere to surfaces in nature, leading to formation of complex communities called biofilms. Pathogen adherence to medical devices is the basis for device-associated infection. We have focused on the control of adherence in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. We find that this process is under control of thirty transcriptional regulators. Our analysis of gene expression in regulatory mutants with altered adherence provides new understanding of the relationships among known regulators. In addition, we find evidence for a large regulatory network that connects one quarter of all cell surface protein genes.

Thirty-nine healthy US students without diarrheal disease and who had not received prophylactic or therapeutic antibiotics were monitored for emergence of trimethoprim-resistant gram-negative fecal flora for a 3-week period after arrival in Guadalajara, Mexico. During this time period, most students showed no change in total fecal gram-negative bacteria (p0.05) but showed an increasing level of trimethoprim (TMP) resistance (p0.01) among fecal coliforms. Escherichia coli was the TMP-resistant organism isolated in 18 of 39 (46%) healthy students. These 18 TMP-resistant E. coli were also resistant to ampicillin (44%), azithromycin (11%), chloramphenicol (39%), ciprofloxacin (11%), doxycycline (89%), erythromycin (100%), furazolidone (72%), levofloxacin (17%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (89%) and trovafloxacin (17%). In the absence of prophylactic and therapeutic antibiotics, increased acquisition of TMP-resistant gram-negative fecal flora in this developing country is probably due to poor sanitary conditions and the recurrent and heavy exposure to antimicrobial-resistant indigenous flora as a result of contaminated food and drink.