Faculty Bibliography

Heart failure affects nearly 26 million people worldwide. Patients with heart failure are frequently affected with atrial fibrillation, and the interrelation between these pathologies is complex. Atrial fibrillation shares the same risk factors as heart failure. Moreover, it is associated with a higher-risk baseline clinical status and higher mortality rates in patients with heart failure. The mechanisms by which atrial fibrillation occurs in a failing heart are incompletely understood, but animal studies suggest they differ from those that occur in a healthy heart. Data suggest that heart failure-induced atrial fibrosis and atrial ionic remodeling are the underlying abnormalities that facilitate atrial fibrillation. Therapeutic considerations for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure include risk factor modification and guideline-directed medical therapy, anticoagulation, rate control, and rhythm control. As recommended for atrial fibrillation in the non-failing heart, anticoagulation in patients with heart failure should be guided by a careful estimation of the risk of embolic events versus the risk of hemorrhagic episodes. The decision whether to target a rate-control or rhythm-control strategy is an evolving aspect of management. Currently, both approaches are good medical practice, but recent data suggest that rhythm control, particularly when achieved through catheter ablation, is associated with improved outcomes. A promising field of research is the application of neurohormonal modulation to prevent the creation of the "structural substrate" for atrial fibrillation in the failing heart.

Introduction/UNASSIGNED:Neoplastic involvement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secondary to known or unknown primaries elsewhere is a poor prognostic factor and is equivalent to stage IV disease. Aim/UNASSIGNED:The aim of the study is to analyse the cytological features of neoplastic meningitis in a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods/UNASSIGNED:A retrospective study of 400 consecutive CSF samples was done in the cytology laboratory of our hospital. The fluid obtained by spinal tap was sent for microbiological, biochemical and cytological evaluation. Smears that showed the presence of malignant cells were included in this study. Results/UNASSIGNED:= 18). Conclusion/UNASSIGNED:A combined diagnostic approach including biochemical, microbiological and pathological evaluation was useful in eliminating infectious meningitis and confirming neoplastic meningitis in these cases. Cytology should be performed on cerebrospinal specimens from all patients with known or suspected malignancy with meningismus. Detection of malignant cells on cytological examination of CSF is the diagnostic gold standard for neoplastic meningitis.

Here we describe the first report of a clinical colistin-resistant ST84 Enterobacter cloacae isolate co-harboring mcr-4.6 (previously named mcr-4.2) and bla_NDM-1 from a patient in China. The bla_NDM-1-harboring IncX3 plasmid and the novel mcr-4.6-harboring ColE plasmid were completely sequenced. Although this isolate showed high level resistance to colistin, mcr-4.6 plasmid transformation, gene subcloning, susceptibility testing and lipid A matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry analysis indicate that mcr-4.6 itself doesn't confer resistance to colistin.

It is time for action by leaders across higher education to strengthen quality improvement (QI) in college health, in pursuit of better care, better health, and increased value - goals closely linked to students' learning and success. The size and importance of the college student population; the connections between wellbeing, and therefore QI, and student success; the need for improved standards and greater accountability; and the positive contributions of QI to employee satisfaction and professionalism all warrant a widespread commitment to building greater capacity and capability for QI in college health. This report aims to inspire, motivate, and challenge college health professionals and their colleagues, campus leaders, and national entities to take both immediate and sustainable steps to bring QI to the forefront of college health practice - and, by doing so, to elevate care, health, and value of college health as a key pathway to advancing student success.

Background: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is responsible for the majority of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infections worldwide. Identification and evaluation of pregnant women with CHB are key steps to reducing MTCT. We aimed to assess demographic and clinical characteristics and MTCT risk in Asian American women with CHB receiving prenatal care at two community health center sites in New York City. Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of all women with CHB evaluated with HBV DNA during prenatal care from 2007 to 2017. Clinical and demographic data were extracted from medical records and analyzed. We measured the percentage of pregnant women not on antiviral treatment at high-risk for MTCT, defined by highly viremic levels (HBV DNA >=200,000 IU/mL), then further analyzed by HBeAg status, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, age, birth region, and other demographic variables to measure association with MTCT risk using logistic regression analysis. Results: There were a total of 978 unique pregnancies in 804 HBsAg-positive women included in this study. All 804 women were born in Asia with 786 (97.8%) born in China, and 589 (73.3%) from China's Fujian province. Of 978 unique pregnancies, the women's mean (range) age and gestational age at the time of initial HBV DNA levels were 29.2 (18-55) years and 16.9 (1.0-38.4) weeks, respectively. The distribution of initial HBV DNA and ALT level during each unique pregnancy is presented in Figure 1. Of 933 unique pregnancies of women not on HBV antiviral treatment at initial evaluation, 203 (21.8%) had a HBV DNA level >=200,000 IU/mL of which 185 (91.1%) were HBeAg-positive, 15 (7.4%) were HBeAg negative, and 3 (1.5%) were unknown. HBeAg-positive status (aOR 204.2, CI 104.0-400.8, p<0.01) and elevated ALT (aOR 1.02, CI 1.01-1.03, p<0.01) were associated with increased odds for high levels of viremia. Conclusion: At two community health sites providing perinatal HBV care to primarily Asian American patients, 21.8% of pregnant women were high risk for MTCT. While HBeAg-positive status was associated with high viremia, it is a limited predictor of MTCT alone as 7.4% of high risk patients were HBeAg-negative. Full assessment of CHB pregnant women and early coordinated care is needed to offer and deliver interventions to prevent MTCT during critical windows of time including antiviral therapy for highly viremic women. (Figure Presented)

Aim of this review is to inform major clinical trials in peripheral vascular interventions in the year of 2017.