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Abstract Background Secondary school students are vulnerable to risky sexual behaviors (RSBs) which may lead to adverse health consequences, such as teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS. In Tanzania, the burden of teenage pregnancy was reported to be 27% in 2016. The integration of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education into the school curriculum is one of the proven crucial interventions. However, there is limited information on the extent to which curriculum-based SRH education is relevant for fostering good practices for coping with RSBs. This study sought to describe students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relevance of curriculum-based SRH education. Methods A qualitative study was conducted from May to June 2020 (involving 5 secondary schools in Ilemela district, Mwanza, Tanzania). In-depth interviews (30) were conducted among secondary school students and 10 interviews for teachers. The data were collected in Swahili and then transcribed and translated into English after which thematic content analysis was performed. Results The majority (56%) of secondary school students were revealed to have a limited understanding of curriculum-based SRH education, which was limited to a few aspects of health that involved married people and pregnant women. Teachers of different subjects had different perceptions about the relevance of curriculum-based SRH education. Civics teachers had the perception that it was relevant and enough, while Biology teachers thought that it was not enough. Students reported utilizing the information taught in class to manage and navigate RSBs. Moreover, they expressed a need for additional delivery strategies to be used for a comprehensive understanding of sexual and reproductive health. Conclusion Despite the identified gaps in providing a comprehensive knowledge that builds on the appropriate attitudes and skills, the existing curriculum-based SRH education in secondary schools was utilized to help students in addressing and managing RSBs. However, there is a need for more comprehensive information and an improved delivery approach for SRH to equip students with the necessary skills when faced with RSBs.

Abstract Background HIV partner counselling and testing in antenatal care (ANC) is a crucial strategy to raise the number of males who know their HIV status. However, in many settings like Tanzania, male involvement in antenatal care remains low, and there is a definite need for innovative strategies to increase male partner involvement. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of mobile phone intervention increase male partner ANC attendance for HIV testing in Moshi municipal, Tanzania. Methods Between April and July 2022, we enrolled pregnant women presenting to a first ANC visit at Majengo and St. Joseph reproductive health facilities without their male partners. Eligible pregnant women were randomly assigned to invitation of their male partners either via phone calls, text messages from clinic staff and verbal invites from pregnant partners (intervention arm) or verbal invites only from the pregnant partners (control arm). Neither healthcare provider nor participant were blinded. The primary outcome was the proportion of male partners who attended ANC with their pregnant partners during a follow-up period of two consecutive visits. The secondary outcome measure was HIV testing among male partners following the invitation. Participants were analyzed as originally assigned (intention to treat). Results A total of 350 pregnant women presenting to ANC for the first time were enrolled, with 175 women enrolled in each arm. The efficacy of male attendance with their pregnant women following the invitations was 83.4% (147/175) in the intervention arm and 46.3% (81/175) in the control arm. Overall, the results suggest a positive and statistically significant average treatment effect among men who received mobile phone intervention on ANC attendance. For the secondary outcome, the percent of male partners who accepted HIV counselling and testing was 99.3% (146/147) in the intervention arm and 93.8% (76/81) in the control arm. Married men were having higher odds of ANC attendance compared with single men (aOR:6.40(3.26–12.56), Males with multigravida women were having lower odds of ANC attendance compared with primigravida women (aOR:0.17(0.09–0.33). Conclusion The study demonstrates that supplementing verbal invitations with mobile phone calls and text messages from clinic staff can significantly increase male partner ANC attendance and HIV testing. This combined approach is recommended in improving ANC attendance and HIV testing of male partners who do not accompany their pregnant partners to antenatal clinics in the first visits. Trial registration PACTR202209769991162.

Abstract Introduction Mentorship is an essential component of research capacity building for young researchers in the health sciences. The mentorship environment in resource-limited settings is gradually improving. This article describes mentees’ experiences in a mentorship program for junior academicians amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania. Methods This is a survey study that examined the experiences of mentees who participated in a mentorship program developed as part of the Transforming Health Education in Tanzania (THET) project. The THET project was funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) under a consortium of three partnering academic institutions in Tanzania and two collaborating US-based institutions. Senior faculty members of respective academic institutions were designated as mentors of junior faculty. Quarterly reports submitted by mentees for the first four years of the mentorship program from 2018 to 2022 were used as data sources. Results The mentorship program included a total of 12 mentees equally selected from each of the three health training institutions in Tanzania. The majority (7/12) of the mentees in the program were males. All mentees had a master’s degree, and the majorities (8/12) were members of Schools/Faculties of Medicine. Most mentors (9/10) were from Tanzania’s three partnering health training institutions. All mentors had an academic rank of senior lecturer or professor. Despite the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the regular weekly meetings between mentors and mentees were not affected. By the fourth year of the mentorship program, more than three-quarters of mentees had published research related to the mentorship program in a peer-reviewed journal, over half had enrolled in Ph.D. studies, and half had applied for and won competitive grant awards. Almost all mentees reported being satisfied with the mentorship program and their achievements. Conclusion The mentorship program enhanced the skills and experiences of the mentees as evidenced by the quality of their research outputs and their dissemination of research findings. The mentorship program encouraged mentees to further their education and enhanced other skills such as grant writing. These results support the initiation of similar mentorship programs in other institutions to expand their capacity in biomedical, social, and clinical research, especially in resource-limited settings, such as Sub-Saharan Africa.

Abstract Background HIV and antiretroviral drugs, particularly protease inhibitors and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, may increase the risk of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) among people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, following the introduction of better drugs like dolutegravir, data on the burden of MetS are limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of MetS and associated factors among PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Tanzania. Methods This was a cross-sectional study among PLHIV aged ≥ 18 years on antiretroviral therapy for ≥ 1 year at Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza conducted in 2020. Demographic and healthy-lifestyle-related non-communicable disease risk factors data were collected. Additionally, data on lipid profile, blood glucose, blood pressure, and waist circumference were collected for analysis of MetS according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Factors associated with MetS were assessed using logistic regression. A P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Data for 223 participants were analyzed. The mean (SD) age was 44 (± 12) years and 79.8% (178) were females. A majority 78% (174) were on a tenofovir, lamivudine,and dolutegravir regimen. About 12.1% (27) were either current or past smokers, 45.3% (101) were past alcohol drinkers, 22.9% (51) were current drinkers, 12.1% (27) reported taking ≥ 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day and 5.8% (13) were physically inactive. The prevalence of MetS was 22.9%. The only factors that were associated with Mets were fat mass index and adequate intake of vegetables and fruits, (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.9, 95% CI 1.0, 7.9, P = 0.04) and (aOR1.2, 95% CI 1.0, 1.3, P = 0.02), respectively). Conclusion The prevalence of MetS remains high among PLHIV. Adiposity and adequate fruit and vegetable intake increased the risk. The introduction of new ART regimens shows no effect on MetS prevalence. Research is needed to understand how lifestyle changes could reduce MetS in PLHIV.

BackgroundThe extent of the burden of erectile dysfunction and its associated factors remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with ED and its prevalence among MLHIV in northern Tanzania.MethodsA hospital-based, multi-center, cross-sectional study was conducted on MLHIV aged 18 years and above in northern Tanzania.OutcomeThe risk factors for ED and the prevalence of such risk factors among MLHIV was assessed and evaluated through a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for depression symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9) scale; anxiety disorders using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7); ART adherence; viral load; initial regimen date; ART regimen; and sexual risk behaviors.ResultsData for 366 participants with a median age of 50 years (IQR 38–57 years) were available for analysis. Approximately three in four (74.6%) MLHIV had ED (of any severity), whereas 37.7% had mild ED. The majority (96.5%) of the participants had low testosterone, two in three (66.7%) had depressive symptoms, and close to half of the participants (48.4%) had anxiety. Age, lack of engagement in vigorous physical activity, depression, and self-reported good adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) were associated with ED in a multivariate logistic regression analysis (p=0.004, p =0.006, p=0.07, p=0.006, and p=0.004, respectively).ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of ED among MLHIV in northern Tanzania. Erectile dysfunction should be regarded as one of the comorbidities associated with HIV and should be routinely screened for among MLHIV in CTC clinics.

BackgroundDue to the complexity of human diets, it is difficult to relate single foods to health outcomes. We aimed to identify the dietary patterns and associated factors and to assess the association of dietary patterns with prediabetes/diabetes among adults living with and without HIV in Tanzania.MethodsDiet data were collected by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and dietary patterns were derived by principal component analysis (PCA) and reduced rank regression (RRR). The associations between dietary patterns and associated factors as well as with prediabetes/diabetes were assessed using multinomial logistic regression and presented by marginal plots.ResultsOf 572 recruited, 63% were people living with HIV. The mean (±SD) age was 42.6 (±11.7) years and 60% were females. The PCA identified two major dietary patterns, i.e., vegetable-rich pattern (VRP) and vegetable-poor pattern (VPP) whereas RRR identified one dietary pattern, i.e., carbohydrate-dense pattern (CDP). In comparison to females, males had higher adherence to VPP and CDP, but less to VRP. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with higher adherence to VRP and VPP but low adherence to CDP. Compared to HIV-negative participants, people living with HIV had higher adherence to VRP but less adherence to CDP. Compared to younger people, older people had lower adherence to VPP. High adherence to CDP or VRP was positively associated with prediabetes. Higher adherence to VRP was associated with a borderline decrease in diabetes. No association was observed between VPP with either prediabetes or diabetes.ConclusionOur findings suggest that dietary patterns may impact the risk of prediabetes and diabetes differently. Awareness of the health benefits of VRP should be encouraged in the community, especially for men who seem to consume fewer vegetables. Longitudinal studies are needed to explore the contribution of dietary patterns to prediabetes/diabetes development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objectives: Arterio-ureteralfistula (AUF) is an infrequent but potentially life-threatening condition. The aim of this study was reviewing the literature to build a flow-chart useful for an early and effective diagnosis and treatment of this pathology. Materials and methods: A literature search in PubMed was con-ducted. In addition, retrieved articles were cross-referenced. Data parameters included oncologic, vascular and urological history, diagnostics, treatment, and follow up were collected using a standard template by 2 independent reviewers. Results: A total of 140 cases of AUF out of 172 available in the literature at the time of the review, were considered. All patients presented gross hematuria. Chronic indwelling ureteral catheter (CIUC); history of pelvic surgery (HPS) and history of pelvic radiotherapy (HRT) were present respectively in 81%, 62.1%and 58.6% of the sample. The most predominant location of AUF was at the common iliac artery ureteral crossing. Angiography with provocative measures had the highest diag-nostic sensitivity (50%) and endovascular treatment with stent-graft placement across the fistula is the current state of the art treatment choice. Conclusions: Failure to diagnose can postpone a potentially life-saving targeted therapy and lead to complications. The identifi-cation of the Trifecta hematuria, history of pelvic surgery (HPS) and history of pelvic radiotherapy (HPR) would allow the identi-fication of patients at high risk of AUF, who may benefit from more sensitive early diagnostic investigations such as CT angiography and provocative angiography. The treatment of choice in case of AUF to date consist in endovascular prosthesis placement.

Objective: To present a retrospective analysis on the oncological and functional outcomes of a single-center experience on a large series of extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomies (eLRP) with an extended follow-up. Materials and methods: Herein we present a retrospective review of patients who underwent eLRP. Oncological and functional follow-up data were collected by means of outpatient visits and telephone interviews, assessing overall mortality and biochemical recurrence-free survival. Patients with clinical T4 stage prostate cancer (PCa), previous surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), previous androgen deprivation, radiotherapy, concomitant chemotherapy and/or experimental therapies, and with insufficient follow-up data were excluded. Preoperative data recorded were age, body mass index, ultrasound prostate volume, preoperative PSA and clinical stage of PCa. Operative data (operative time, nerve sparing technique and any perioperative complication) and pathological findings were obtained by consulting the surgical and pathological reports. Oncological and functional follow-up were collected during follow-up visits and telephone interview. Results: Between January 2001 and December 2019, overall 938 eLRP were performed at our Institution. The median follow-up was 132 months. 69.7% of the patients had complete dataset. The estimated overall biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival was 71.4% at 5 years and 58.9% at 10 years. Cancer specific survival was 84,5%. Erectile function was preserved in the most of patients as postoperative IIEF-5 score within 12 months after surgery was > 12 in the 82.1%. About the urinary incontinence, 0.76% of the patients presented severe incontinence (continued and persistent loss of urine) and 7.0% were mildly incontinent (using up to one pad per day). Conclusions; eLRP has shown oncological and functional results comparable to other minimally invasive techniques and to open radical prostatectomy (ORP), with favorable perioperative outcomes than the open technique and a reduced complication rate.

Accuracy in the diagnosis is a key step to identify HIV infected individuals for appropriate management. Insufficient supply of manufacture´s buffers in relation to the number of strips per kit has negative impact on patient’s results hence improper patient´s management. In resource limited settings some laboratory staff use different substitute buffers which has never been validated on their reliability. This study aimed at comparing the performance of 0.85% saline and SD-Bioline manufacture’s buffer in detection of HIV antibodies. A total of 220 whole blood specimens: 110 HIV positive specimens from patients attending care and treatment center (CTC) and 110 HIV negative specimens from blood donors were re-tested for HIV status using SD-Bioline HIV rapid test using manufacturer´s buffer and 0.85% saline separately. Data and laboratory results were recorded in Microsoft excel sheet followed by analysis using STATA version 13. For all tested samples, the level of agreement between 0.85% saline and manufacturer’s buffer was 98.64% (kappa=0.9727).The value of kappa indicates very good agreement between 0.85% saline and manufacturer’s buffer. In incidents where manufacturers´ buffer is not sufficient, 0.85% saline can give reliable results. Further studies to evaluate the suitable buffer for other rapid tests for HIV and other diseases are recommended especially in resource limited settings.

Summary: Background: Child stunting reduces survival and impairs neurodevelopment. We tested the independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) on stunting and anaemia in in Zimbabwe. Methods: We did a cluster-randomised, community-based, 2 × 2 factorial trial in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Clusters were defined as the catchment area of between one and four village health workers employed by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care. Women were eligible for inclusion if they permanently lived in clusters and were confirmed pregnant. Clusters were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to standard of care (52 clusters), IYCF (20 g of a small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement per day from age 6 to 18 months plus complementary feeding counselling; 53 clusters), WASH (construction of a ventilated improved pit latrine, provision of two handwashing stations, liquid soap, chlorine, and play space plus hygiene counselling; 53 clusters), or IYCF plus WASH (53 clusters). A constrained randomisation technique was used to achieve balance across the groups for 14 variables related to geography, demography, water access, and community-level sanitation coverage. Masking of participants and fieldworkers was not possible. The primary outcomes were infant length-for-age Z score and haemoglobin concentrations at 18 months of age among children born to mothers who were HIV negative during pregnancy. These outcomes were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. We estimated the effects of the interventions by comparing the two IYCF groups with the two non-IYCF groups and the two WASH groups with the two non-WASH groups, except for outcomes that had an important statistical interaction between the interventions. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01824940. Findings: Between Nov 22, 2012, and March 27, 2015, 5280 pregnant women were enrolled from 211 clusters. 3686 children born to HIV-negative mothers were assessed at age 18 months (884 in the standard of care group from 52 clusters, 893 in the IYCF group from 53 clusters, 918 in the WASH group from 53 clusters, and 991 in the IYCF plus WASH group from 51 clusters). In the IYCF intervention groups, the mean length-for-age Z score was 0·16 (95% CI 0·08–0·23) higher and the mean haemoglobin concentration was 2·03 g/L (1·28–2·79) higher than those in the non-IYCF intervention groups. The IYCF intervention reduced the number of stunted children from 620 (35%) of 1792 to 514 (27%) of 1879, and the number of children with anaemia from 245 (13·9%) of 1759 to 193 (10·5%) of 1845. The WASH intervention had no effect on either primary outcome. Neither intervention reduced the prevalence of diarrhoea at 12 or 18 months. No trial-related serious adverse events, and only three trial-related adverse events, were reported. Interpretation: Household-level elementary WASH interventions implemented in rural areas in low-income countries are unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia and might not reduce diarrhoea. Implementation of these WASH interventions in combination with IYCF interventions is unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia more than implementation of IYCF alone. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Department for International Development, Wellcome Trust, Swiss Development Cooperation, UNICEF, and US National Institutes of Health.

En este artículo se plasman los resultados de una investigación que se realiza para detectar las principales necesidades educativas que presentan los alumnos que ingresan a INTEC y que reciben la asignatura Física General en su carrera. Se aplican las técnicas comprendidas en el Modelos de Análisis de Necesidades Socio Educativas (ANISE), aprovechando su versatilidad y potencialidades que se ajustan a las pretensiones de este proyecto. Además se propone como una posible solución a las carencias detectadas, pues se pasa a la elaboración y utilización de un ambiente interactivo en tres dimensiones (videojuego), como elemento didáctico que permite incidir sobre las dificultades que los propios alumnos explicitan, como resultado de las técnicas aplicadas en este trabajo.

Este artigo apresenta os resultados do inquérito epidemiológico que estudou a ocorrência e a distribuição da filariose bancroftiana no Distrito de Cavaleiro, Município de Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Pernambuco. O desenho de estudo empregado foi o seccional. Foram analisados 9.520 indivíduos da população residente nos 12 bairros que compõem o distrito. Deste total, detectou-se 213 microfilarêmicos (2,2%). Cerca de 91,7% dos bairros pesquisados apresentaram casos de infecção filarial, com prevalências variando de 0% a 5,15%. A população masculina foi a mais acometida pela infecção, com 64,3% dos casos (p < 0,05). Verificou-se, também, a existência de positividade em todas as faixas etárias examinadas. Esses resultados indicam que a filariose bancroftiana permanece como um problema de saúde pública na região, necessitando de medidas de controle e atenção dos administradores e planejadores de saúde.

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with other government andprivate organizations, is producing a conterminous U.S. land-cover map using Landsat Thematic Mapper 30-meter data for the Federal regions designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Accuracy assessment is to be conducted for each Federal region to estimate overall and class-specific accuracies. In Region 2, consisting of New Yorkand New Jersey, the accuracy assessment was completed for 15 land-cover and land-use classes, using interpreted 1:40,000 scale aerial photographs as reference data. The methodology used for Region 2 features a two-stage, geographically stratified approach, with a general sample of all classes (1,033 sample sites), and a separate sample for rare classes (294 sample sites). A confidence index was recorded for each land-cover interpretation on the 1:40,000-scale aerial photography. The estimated overall accuracy for Region 2 was 63 percent (standard error 1.4 percent) using all sample sites, and 75.2 percent (standard error 1.5 percent) using only reference sites with a high-confidence index. User's and producer's accuracies for the general sample anduser's accuracy for the sample of rare classes, as well as variance for the estimated accuracy parameters, were also reported. Narrowly defined land-use classes and heterogeneous conditions of land cover are the major causes of misclassification errors. Recommendations for modifying the accuracy assessment methodology for use in the other nine Federal regions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate gross motor function and associated factors in children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS)., Method: Fifty-nine children (30 males, 29 females) with CZS at a mean (SD) age of 14.7 (3.9), months (range 5-29mo) were evaluated using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and classified according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Neurological damage was evaluated by neuroimaging. The mothers' sociodemographic characteristics and general data on the children were obtained from interviews with the mothers and from the children's medical records. Correlational and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with these children's motor function., Results: In 81% of the children, motor function impairment was severe, classified as GMFCS level V. The overall GMFM score ranged from 5 to 210 (median 18; interquartile range 11), with only four children receiving scores in the D and E dimensions. The factors found to affect motor function were the presence of severe malformations of cortical development and small head circumference at birth., Interpretation: Although motor impairment may be mild in some children, it is generally severe. Severe malformations of cortical development and small head circumference at birth were factors associated with poorer motor function, reflecting the greater severity of brain damage., What This Paper Adds: Motor impairment is severe in most children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Motor skills are adequate or close to adequate for age in 7% of children with CZS. Severe malformations of cortical development are associated with poor motor control. Small head circumference at birth is also associated with poor motor control., (© 2019 Mac Keith Press.)

Introduction and Aim: Transplant recipients are chronically ill patients who rely on medical treatment throughout life to achieve positive results. Despite that, medication nonadherence after liver transplantation is extremely common. The self-report, one of several methods for measuring adherence, is easy to apply and low cost. Thus, this study aims to translate and validate the Immunosuppressant Therapy Adherence Instrument (ITAS) in Brazilian Portuguese for liver transplant recipients., Material and Methods: A total of 139 liver transplant recipients were selected from a general hospital, who were assessed by using the Portuguese version of ITAS. The scale was translated based on the model proposed by Wild, et al. and its psychometric properties were assessed., Results: The average Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.830. ITAS and Basel Assessment of Adherence with Immunosuppressive Medications Scale (BAASIS) presented significant correlation, with a Spearman's ρ coefficient = 0.300 (S = 309,580; p < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was 0.638 (95% CI: 0.557 - 0.715). Factor analysis results indicated that the carelessness factor model was the optimal model, and the factor "feeling worse" was the lowest., Conclusion: The Portuguese version of ITAS has adequate psychometric properties to measure adherence to immunosuppressant therapy.

Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging cause of graft dysfunction after liver transplantation (LT) frequently related to the development of new onset diabetes after LT (NODAT). This study was undertaken to evaluate the frequencies of NODAT and NAFLD after LT, to investigate their major risk factors and the impact of de novo or recurrent NAFLD in graft function., Material and Methods: 119 patients submitted to LT were prospectively evaluated., Results: After 4 ± 1 years, NODAT, recurrent and de novo NAFLD were observed in 31%, 56% and 43% of the subjects, respectively. Only 3 patients had non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) without fibrosis. Other risk factors for NAFLD such as arterial hypertension (AHT), metabolic syndrome (MS), hypertriglyceridemia and obesity were seen in 51%, 50%, 35% and 24% of the subjects, respectively. In addition, insulin resistance (IR), assessed by HOMA-IR and β-cell dysfunction, determined by HOMA-β, were observed in 16% and 94% of the patients, respectively. Occurrence of NODAT was associated with male gender, higher waist circumference, higher HOMA-IR and lower HOMA-β values. No correlation was found between NAFLD and NODAT, MS, hypertriglyceridemia, obesity and HOMAIR and HOMA-β levels., Conclusions: NODAT, recurrent and de novo NAFLD are common after LT but are not associated with signs of graft dysfunction, possibly due to the low frequency of IR and NASH. No correlation is observed between NAFLD and NODAT, MS, hypertriglyceridemia, obesity and IR. β-cell dysfunction and diabetes, however, are seen in most of the patients, possibly due to calcineurin inhibitor toxicity.

Escherichia coli encodes two DNA ligases, ligase A, which is essential under normal laboratory growth conditions, and ligase B, which is not. Here we report potential functions of ligase B. We found that across the entire Enterobacteriaceae family, ligase B is highly conserved in both amino acid identity and synteny with genes associated with oxidative stress. Deletion of ligB sensitized E. coli to specific DNA damaging agents and antibiotics resulted in a weak mutator phenotype, and decreased biofilm formation. Overexpression of ligB caused a dramatic extension of lag phase that eventually resumed normal growth. The ligase function of ligase B was not required to mediate the extended lag phase, as overexpression of a ligase-deficient ligB mutant also blocked growth. Overexpression of ligB during logarithmic growth caused an immediate block of cell growth and DNA replication, and death of about half of cells. These data support a potential role for ligase B in the base excision repair pathway or the mismatch repair pathway.

Objective: To evaluate sensitivity/specificity of the maximum relaxation rate (MRR) of inspiratory muscles, amplitude of electromyographic activity of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), scalene (SCA), parasternal (2ndIS) and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles; lung function and respiratory muscle strength in subjects with Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) compared with healthy subjects., Design and Methods: Quasi-experimental observational study with control group. MRR of inspiratory muscles, lung function and amplitude of the electromyographic activity of SCM, SCA, 2ndIS and RA muscles during maximum inspiratory pressure (PImax), maximum expiratory pressure (PEmax) and sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP) tests were assessed in eighteen DM1 subjects and eleven healthy., Results: MRR was lower in DM1 group compared to healthy (P = 0.001) and was considered sensitive and specific to identify disease in DM1 and discard it in controls, as well as SNIP% (P = 0.0026), PImax% (P = 0.0077) and PEmax% (P = 0.0002). Contraction time of SCM and SCA was higher in DM1 compared to controls, respectively, during PImax (P = 0.023 and P = 0.017) and SNIP (P = 0.015 and P = .0004). The DM1 group showed lower PImax (P = .0006), PEmax (P = 0.0002), SNIP (P = 0.0014), and higher electromyographic activity of the SCM (P = 0.002) and SCA (P = 0.004) at rest; of 2ndIS (P = 0.003) during PEmax and of SCM (P = 0.02) and SCA (P = 0.03) during SNIP test., Conclusions: MD1 subjects presented restrictive pattern, reduced respiratory muscle strength, muscular electrical activity and MRR when compared to higher compared to controls. In addition, the lower MRR found in MD1 subjects showed to be reliable to sensitivity and specificity in identifying the delayed relaxation of respiratory muscles.

We sought to determine the epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and to investigate the emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in two teaching hospitals in Manila, Philippines. We screened 364 Enterobacteriaceae for carbapenem resistance between 2012 and 2013 and detected four carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates from three different patients. We used whole genome sequencing to determine the antibiotic resistance profiles and confirmed the presence of carbapenemase genes by multiplex PCR. We used multilocus sequence typing and PCR-based replicon typing to genetically characterize the carbapenem-resistant isolates. The carbapenemase gene bla NDM was detected in K. pneumoniae isolates from two patients. The first patient had ventilator-associated pneumonia and lumbar shunt infection from K. pneumoniae ST273 carrying bla NDM-7 . The second patient had asymptomatic genitourinary colonization with K. pneumoniae ST656 carrying bla NDM-1 . The third patient had a gluteal abscess with K. pneumoniae ST1 that did not carry a carbapenemase gene, but did carry bla DHA-1 , bla OXA-1 , and bla SHV-1 . In this study, we report the first cases of bla NDM -carrying pathogens in the Philippines and add to the growing evidence of the worldwide spread of ST273 and NDM-7, a more efficient carbapenem hydrolyzer than NDM-1., Competing Interests: Statement No competing financial interests exist.

Current efforts to understand antibiotic resistance on the whole genome scale tend to focus on known genes even as high throughput sequencing strategies uncover novel mechanisms. To identify genomic variations associated with antibiotic resistance, we employed a modified genome-wide association study; we sequenced genomic DNA from pools of E. coli clinical isolates with similar antibiotic resistance phenotypes using SOLiD technology to uncover single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) unanimously conserved in each pool. The multidrug-resistant pools were genotypically similar to SMS-3-5, a previously sequenced multidrug-resistant isolate from a polluted environment. The similarity was evenly spread across the entire genome and not limited to plasmid or pathogenicity island loci. Among the pools of clinical isolates, genomic variation was concentrated adjacent to previously reported inversion and duplication differences between the SMS-3-5 isolate and the drug-susceptible laboratory strain, DH10B. SNPs that result in non-synonymous changes in gyrA (encoding the well-known S83L allele associated with fluoroquinolone resistance), mutM, ligB, and recG were unanimously conserved in every fluoroquinolone-resistant pool. Alleles of the latter three genes are tightly linked among most sequenced E. coli genomes, and had not been implicated in antibiotic resistance previously. The changes in these genes map to amino acid positions in alpha helices that are involved in DNA binding. Plasmid-encoded complementation of null strains with either allelic variant of mutM or ligB resulted in variable responses to ultraviolet light or hydrogen peroxide treatment as markers of induced DNA damage, indicating their importance in DNA metabolism and revealing a potential mechanism for fluoroquinolone resistance. Our approach uncovered evidence that additional DNA binding enzymes may contribute to fluoroquinolone resistance and further implicate environmental bacteria as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance.

The RNA binding protein CsrA is the central component of a conserved global regulatory system that activates or represses gene expression posttranscriptionally. In every known example of CsrA-mediated translational control, CsrA binds to the 5' untranslated region of target transcripts, thereby repressing translation initiation and/or altering the stability of the RNA. Furthermore, with few exceptions, repression by CsrA involves binding directly to the Shine-Dalgarno sequence and blocking ribosome binding. sdiA encodes the quorum-sensing receptor for N-acyl-l-homoserine lactone in Escherichia coli. Because sdiA indirectly stimulates transcription of csrB, which encodes a small RNA (sRNA) antagonist of CsrA, we further explored the relationship between sdiA and the Csr system. Primer extension analysis revealed four putative transcription start sites within 85 nucleotides of the sdiA initiation codon. Potential σ(70)-dependent promoters were identified for each of these primer extension products. In addition, two CsrA binding sites were predicted in the initially translated region of sdiA. Expression of chromosomally integrated sdiA'-'lacZ translational fusions containing the entire promoter and CsrA binding site regions indicates that CsrA represses sdiA expression. The results from gel shift and footprint studies demonstrate that tight binding of CsrA requires both of these sites. Furthermore, the results from toeprint and in vitro translation experiments indicate that CsrA represses translation of sdiA by directly competing with 30S ribosomal subunit binding. Thus, this represents the first example of CsrA preventing translation by interacting solely within the coding region of an mRNA target.

Background: Infections are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality among postoperative liver transplant (OLT) patients and a leading cause of decompensated chronic liver disease (CLD) among patients awaiting the procedure. Oral lesions that are frequently observed in subjects with CLD may represent foci for systemic infections before and after OLT., Aims: To evaluate the oral health profile of patients with CLD awaiting OLT., Methods: One hundred thirty one patients including 100 males of overall mean age 49.5 ± 10.8 years with CLD were listed for OLT and examined for oral health status according to a established protocol., Results: One hundred thirty (99%) patients were partially edentulous; 66 (51%) had chewing difficulties; and 63 (48%) experienced reduced salivary flow. With respect to periodontal disease and oral infections, 68 (25%) had periodontitis, 63 (48%) had periapical lesion, 64 (49%) had abscesses, and 59 (45%) had root fragments. Loss of follow-up was observed in 21 subjects. Among the 110 other patients, 63 (57%) underwent dental treatments with complications in only two cases. Interestingly, mortality was significantly lower among treated (31%) versus nontreated patient (79%; P<.001)., Conclusions: Poor oral health status observed in most CLD patients may represent a source of systemic infections before and after OLT. Treatment of such lesions was feasible in the majority of the patients and seemed to be associated with a reduction in mortality., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A sample of children treated by phototherapy during the neonatal period has been studied in the population of Penne (South Eastern Italy) in order to confirm the association previously reported in newborns from the population of Rome between neonatal jaundice and phenotypes of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and acid phosphatase (ACP1). The present data confirm that the incidence of clinically relevant jaundice is much greater in newborns of phenotype ACP1 BA carrying ADA2 allele than in other infants. Since ACP1 probably acts as flavin mononucleotide phosphatase and is modulated by purine nucleotides, it is likely that enzymes of purine nucleotide metabolism (including ADA), ACP1 and flavoenzymes (including gluthatione reductase and enzymes of Krebs cycle), may represent a polygenic complex influencing bilirubin levels in the first few days of life.