Culture Screening Research Articles

Three-dimensional multicellular cell culture for anti-melanoma drug screening: focus on tumor microenvironment.

The development of new treatments for malignant melanoma, which has the worst prognosis among skin neoplasms, remains a challenge. The tumor microenvironment aids tumor cells to grow and resist to chemotherapeutic treatment. One way to mimic and study the tumor microenvironment is by using three-dimensional (3D) co-culture models (spheroids). In this study, a melanoma heterospheroid model composed of cancer cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages was produced by liquid-overlay technique using the agarose gel. The size, growth, viability, morphology, cancer stem-like cells population and inflammatory profile of tumor heterospheroids and monospheroids were analyzed to evaluate the influence of stromal cells on these parameters. Furthermore, dacarbazine cytotoxicity was evaluated using spheroids and two-dimensional (2D) melanoma model. After finishing the experiments, it was observed the M2 macrophages induced an anti-inflammatory microenvironment in heterospheroids; fibroblasts cells support the formation of the extracellular matrix, and a higher percentage of melanoma CD271 was observed in this model. Additionally, melanoma spheroids responded differently to the dacarbazine than the 2D melanoma culture as a result of their cellular heterogeneity and 3D structure. The 3D model was shown to be a fast and reliable tool for drug screening, which can mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment regarding interactions and complexity.

Complementarity of Selective Culture and qPCR for Colistin Resistance Screening in Fresh and Frozen Pig Cecum Samples.

Retrospective studies involving the screening of frozen stored collections of samples are commonplace when a new threat emerges, but it has been demonstrated that the freeze-thaw process can affect bacterial viability. The study of colistin-resistant bacteria in human and animal samples is an example of this issue. In this study, we compared culture-based and PCR-based methods for analyzing relative occurrence and diversity of colistin-resistant bacteria in caecal samples to determine the most appropriate method for frozen samples. Thus, 272 samples from the caecal contents of healthy pigs were tested before and after a 6-month freezing period. A selective medium was used when traditional isolation of colistin-resistant bacteria was tested, while a real-time SYBR® Green I PCR assay was applied for mcr-1 quantification. The number of samples with colistin-resistant isolates was higher in fresh samples (247/272) than in frozen ones (67/272) and showed a higher diversity of colistin-resistant genera. PCR identification of mcr colistin resistance genes evidenced that mcr-1 was the most prevalent mcr gene and mcr-2 was detected for the first time in pigs from Spanish animal production. The number of samples with mcr-1-carrying bacteria after a freezing period decreased, while real-time quantitation of the mcr-1 gene showed similar values in frozen and fresh samples. Therefore, when frozen cecal samples need to be analyzed, molecular detection of DNA could be the best option to provide a highly representative frame of the initial population present in the sample, and culture-based methods might be a useful complement to study colistin resistance levels.

Risk Factors for Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Infection or Colonization in a Korean Intensive Care Unit: A Case-Control Study.

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors related to the infection and/or colonization of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) based on clinical and microbiological data for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). All patients admitted to medical ICU were screened for CPE on admission and weekly, and this 1:2 case–control study included patients with CPE identified by screening or clinical cultures from 2017 to 2018. The clonal relatedness was evaluated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). A total of 45 CPE patients were identified with a prevalence of 3.8%. The most frequent organism was Klebsiella pneumoniae (69%) and the carbapenemases belonged to the class A Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase (KPC-2) (87%), class B New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) (11%), and Imipenemase (IMP-1) (2%) strains. The PFGE profiles showed two large clustered groups of KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae. In the multivariate analysis, pneumonia/chronic pulmonary disease, previous fluoroquinolone use, and previous use of nasogastric tube were the significant risk factors for CPE infection or colonization in ICU-admitted patients. Critical illness and underlying medical conditions such as pneumonia/chronic pulmonary disease, antimicrobial selective pressure, and the use of a medical device are identified as risk factors for CPE infection or colonization in ICU. Person to person transmission also contributed.

“The Show Is Not about Race’”: Custom, Screen Culture, and the Black and White Minstrel Show

AbstractIn 1967, when the BBC was faced with a petition by the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination requesting an end to the televised variety program the Black and White Minstrel Show (1958–1978), producers at the BBC, the press, and audience members collectively argued that the historic presence of minstrelsy in Britain rendered the practice of blacking up harmless. This article uses critical race theory as a useful framework for unpacking defenses that hinged on both the color blindness of white British audiences and the simultaneous existence of wider customs of blacking up within British television and film. I examine a range of “screen culture” from the 1920s to the 1970s, including feature films, home movies, newsreels, and television, that provide evidence of the existence of blackface as a type of racialized custom in British entertainment throughout this period. Efforts by organizations such as the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination, black press publications like Flamingo, and audiences of color to name blacking up and minstrelsy as racist in the late 1960s were met by fierce resistance from majority white audiences and producers, who denied their authority to do so. Concepts of color blindness or “racial innocence” thus become a useful means of examining, first, the wide-ranging existence of blacking-up practices within British screen culture; second, a broad reluctance by producers and the majority of audiences to identify this as racist; and third, the exceptional role that race played in characterizations of white audiences that were otherwise seen as historically fragile and impressionable in the face of screen content.

Prevalence and Incidence of Clostridioides difficile Colonization Among a Cohort of Transplant Patients

Background: Allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) as well as liver, heart, and lung transplant patients have high reported incidence rates of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). The prevalence and incidence of asymptomatic colonization with Clostridioides difficile (ACCD) in this group is not known. Methods: ACCD was defined as the presence of C. difficile on screening cultures without positive clinical testing for CDI ±1 week from the date of sampling. Patients undergoing BMT as well as liver, heart, and lung transplants at MUSC between October 2017 and October 2019 were cultured for C. difficile at admission for transplant then once weekly during inpatient admissions and at each outpatient follow-up for 90 days after transplantation. Testing for CDI occurred at the discretion of treating physicians and was done by PCR. Transient ACCD was defined as a positive culture from samples collected <7 days apart, and persistent ACCD was defined as having 2 or more positive cultures collected a minimum of 7 days apart. Results: The baseline prevalences of ACCD were 1 of 5 (20%), 0 of 2 (0%), 1 of 40 (3%), and 2 of 16(13%) for lung, heart, liver and BMT patients, respectively. Of 63 patients, 3 had a pretransplant history of CDI, 2 of whom had baseline ACCD. Incident ACCD occurred in 23 of 63 patients (37%) (Table 1). Overall, ACCD was observed in 30 of 63 patients (48%). Of the 30 patients with ACCD, 14 displayed persistent asymptomatic colonization, whereas 16 displayed transient asymptomatic colonization. Also, 5 patients in the cohort were diagnosed with CDI after transplantation, of whom 3 had ACCD prior to or following CDI. Conclusions: The baseline prevalence of C. difficile colonization in transplant patients (6.3%) was not substantially greater than those observed in recent studies of hospitalized inpatients, but the incidence of new colonization events (37%) was high in this patient population with numerous pretransplant risk factors for CDI.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

10-Year Trends in Urine Testing and Treatment in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: An Opportunity for Targeted Stewardship

Background: Guidelines regarding asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) have consistently recommended against screening and treatment in most circumstances. However, screening of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is common practice and in some cases is a formal protocol at the organizational level. A previous study found that more than one-third of patients with ASB detected on routine screening cultures performed at annual visits in 2012 received antibiotics. However, the role of antibiotic stewardship has become more prominent over the last decade. We hypothesized that diagnostic and therapeutic stewardship efforts may be impacting the practice of annual urine-culture screening for SCI patients. We evaluated urine culture screening and treatment rates over a 10-year period. Methods: Patients with SCI seen in the VA Boston HCS for an annual exam in 2018 were eligible for inclusion and formed the baseline cohort for this study. Annual visits for the cohort over a 10-year period (January 1, 2009–December 31, 2018) were included in the analysis. Electronic data collection and manual chart review were utilized to capture outcomes of interest including urine culture, antibiotic prescriptions and indication within 15 days, and documentation of urinary or infectious symptoms. The main outcomes were (1) rate of urine cultures performed ±3 days of the visit, (2) rate of antibiotic treatment in asymptomatic patients, and (3) trend over time of urine culturing and treating. The χ2 test for trend was used to compare rates over time. Results: In total, 1,962 annual visits were made by the 344 unique patients over the 10-year period and were available for analysis. Among these, 639 (32.6%) visits had a urine culture performed within 3 days. The proportion of visits with a collected culture decreased from (109 of 127) 85.8% of visits in 2009 to (65 of 338) 19.2% of visits in 2018, P ≤ .001 (Fig. 1). In the treatment analysis, 39 visits were excluded for active symptoms, concern for uncontrolled infection, or prophylaxis as antibiotic indication. Among 600 remaining screening cultures, 328 had a bacterial pathogen or >100,000 mixed colonies consistent with ASB. Overall, 51 patients (17%) received antimicrobials. The rate of antibiotic treatment for ASB did not significantly decrease over time pP = 0.79 (Fig. 2). Conclusions: Over a 10-year period of annual SCI visits, the proportion of visits with a urine culture performed as routine screening significantly and consistently decreased. However, the rate of treatment for positive urine cultures remained consistent. These data support targeted diagnostic stewardship in this population to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Duodenoscope-Associated Outbreak of a Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Background: We describe and evaluate our outbreak of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae transmitted by contaminated duodenoscopes during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures. Methods: An outbreak investigation was performed when Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-KP) were identified from bile specimens of 4 patients. The investigation included medical record review, practice audits, and surveillance cultures of duodenoscopes and environmental sites. If available, clinical specimens were obtained from patients who had undergone ERCP in the previous 3 months. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) screening cultures were performed to identify additional patients until no CRE cases were detected during 2 consecutive weeks. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of KPC-KP isolates was implemented. Results: In total, 12 cases were identified with exposure to duodenoscope from February 2019 through April 2019, including 6 cases with infections and 6 asymptomatic carriers. Case-control analysis showed that 2 specific duodenoscopes would be associated with the KPC-KP outbreak. Duodenoscope reprocessing procedures did not deviate from manufacturer recommendations for reprocessing. After ethylene oxide (EO) gas sterilization, the outbreak was terminated. Conclusions: Meticulous cleaning protocol and enhanced surveillance are necessary to prevent outbreaks of CRE. Notably, enhanced cleaning measures, such as sterilization for duodenoscopes, would be required after procedures with KPC-KP carriers.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Implications of Oxacillin-Resistant, mecA-Negative Staphylococcus aureus Detected in NICU MRSA Surveillance Cultures

Background: Weekly surveillance to identify neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization was performed using Remel Spectra MRSA chromogenic media. An increased MRSA colonization rate from baseline was detected in 2019, prompting additional review of all positive MRSA NICU screening cultures from 2019. Methods: A subset of 23 positive cultures were interrogated in detail. Species-level identification was confirmed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) with a Bruker Biotyper. Penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a) testing was performed using the Alere culture colony test, and cefoxitin and oxacillin susceptibility were assessed via Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion methods (for the purpose of this analysis, oxacillin zone sizes 18 mm were considered susceptible). Molecular detection of mecA and mecC genes using PCR was performed. Results: All 23 isolates in the subset group were confirmed as S. aureus based on MALDI-TOF testing. Moreover, 8 isolates (35%) were confirmed as MRSA based on cefoxitin susceptibility, positive rapid PBP2a testing, and mecA PCR results. Overall, 15 isolates (65%) tested cefoxitin-susceptible and PBP2a negative with negative mecA and mecC gene testing. Of these, 1 (7%) tested oxacillin-susceptible based on disk-diffusion testing, consistent with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA). The remaining 14 isolates (93%) tested oxacillin resistant based on oxacillin zone size. Conclusions: Our findings indicate the detection of mecA/mecC negative S. aureus isolates demonstrating oxacillin resistance and growth on Remel Spectra MRSA chromogenic media. These results have important implications for infection prevention surveillance efforts to detect MRSA and raise questions regarding optimal antibiotic therapy in patients with isolates displaying this phenotype.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Surveillance of ICU Patients for Candida auris in a Suburban Chicago Hospital System: Results of a Limited Trial

Background:Candida auris prevalence in Illinois, particularly in the metropolitan Chicago area, is high. The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends empiric contact precautions for patients with a tracheostomy or requiring mechanical ventilation from skilled nursing facilities (vSNFs) or long-term acute-care hospitals (LTACHs) who are admitted to an acute-care hospital. Cases of C. auris infection and colonization are reportable to the Illinois Extensively Drug Resistant Organism Registry (XDRO Registry). NorthShore University HealthSystem (NSUHS) actively screens adult intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from LTACHs and vSNFs for CA. Methods: NSUHS is a 4-hospital system located north of Chicago with 750 beds, 4 ICUs and ∼64,000 annual admissions. Beginning in April 2019, a composite axilla–groin swab was collected from all ICU LTACH or vSNF admissions. Composite swabs are cultured on Inhibitory Mold Agar. In July 2019, an ICU clinical case of C. auris was identified from a ventilated patient admitted from an outside hospital prompting the expansion of screening to include acute-care hospital transfers. To evaluate the value of screening criteria, a medical record review and retrospective query of the XDRO Registry was performed for all screened patients. Because cocolonization with carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) has been reported, CPO status was also queried. Results: Between April 1 and October 31, 2019, 70 patients were screened. Two screened patients did not meet the screening criteria (Fig. 1). No patients, with the exception of the clinical case, were found to be colonized with CA. The XDRO Registry query identified no patients with C. auris. Of the 70 patients, 9 (13%) had a CPO. Of those screened, 14 (20%) had a tracheostomy and/or mechanical ventilation (Table 1). Conclusions: Querying the XDRO registry at admission in combination with a medical record review appears adequate to identify patients admitted to a NSUHS ICU with C. auris and CPOs. Targeting patients admitted with a tracheostomy and/or mechanical ventilation may further reduce the number of screening cultures performed.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Production and Assessment of Potato Material Resistant to the Broadleaf Herbicide Bentazone

In potato cultivation, the problem of controlling broadleaf weeds could be solved with the production of plants resistant to the broadleaf herbicide bentazone. Plant tissue culture technology and herbicide screening technology were used to select bentazone-resistant potato materials and to analyse the physiological and biochemical characteristics of their resistance. Potato microtubers were used as explants. Results showed that the optimum medium for screening the resistance was the Murashige and Skoog medium + 1 mg/L indoleacetic acid + 4 mg/L zeatin + 60 mg/L bentazone (pH 5.8). Forty-one regenerated buds were obtained by screening culture. After treatment with 48% bentazone aqueous solution (700 mg/L and 1296 g a.i./ha), one resistant product was obtained. Exposure to bentazone (1296 g a.i./ha) reduced the physiological indices of both the resistant and control potato plants. However, compared with control, the photosynthetic indices and acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity of resistant selection only decreased slightly and increased significantly from the lowest level, and the content of malondialdehyde, an indicator of plant stress, was also less affected.

Evaluation of Quadruple Real-Time PCR Method to Detect Enterococci Carrying Vancomycin-Resistant Genes vanA, vanB, vanM in Rectal Swabs.

Purpose: To evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of the quadruple real-time PCR method for the detection of enterococci carrying vancomycin-resistant genes vanA, vanB, and vanM in rectal swabs.Methods: Choosing PCR-sequenced DNA extracted directly from rectal swabs as the gold standard, the results of the quadruple real-time PCR method and the traditional method (screening culture combined PCR-sequencing method whose DNA extracted from single colony) were compared with the gold standard. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of the quadruple real-time PCR method and the traditional method were obtained. The time required for the three methods was calculated.Results: The results between gold standard and the quadruple real-time PCR method were similar. Compared to the traditional method, the quadruple real-time PCR method had a much higher sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and consistency. Our study found that the quadruple real-time PCR method is beneficial for detection of enterococci carrying vanM with vancomycin heteroresistance. The traditional method had high specificity and NPV, but its sensitivity and PPV were not ideal. The time needed for gold standard is a minimum of 28 h; the quadruple real-time PCR method takes 2–3 h while the traditional method consumes a minimum of 72 h.Conclusion: The quadruple real-time PCR method can provide a rapid and reliable result for the diagnosis of patients with colonized vancomycin-resistant enterococci. This new method is beneficial for the active screening, timely clinical treatment measures, epidemiological research, and hospital monitoring of the enterococci carrying vancomycin-resistant gene, especially for the enterococci with vancomycin heteroresistance carrying vanM.

Mupirocin and Chlorhexidine Genotypic Resistance Found in Staphylococcus aureus Isolated From Young Infants Below 90 Days Old: A Genetic Basis for Eradication Failure.

To investigate the genetic characteristics associated with eradication failure of Staphylococcus aureus in infants below 90 days old. S. aureus isolated from clinical specimen cultures (blood, surgical tissue, or drainage, pus, etc.) and routine screening cultures in the neonatal intensive care unit (nasal and axillary skin swab) from patients below 90 days old were collected prospectively for 1 year, from August 2017 to July 2018. The isolates underwent typing and screening for genes associated with chlorhexidine (qacA/B), quaternary ammonium (smr), and mupirocin resistance (iles mutation, mupA, mupB), as well as Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin. During the study period, 40 nonduplicate isolates were included for analyses, of which 70.0% were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Mupirocin resistance was found in 25% of the total isolates; 17.4% of the colonizers; and 35.3% of the pathogens (P = 0.196). Chlorhexidine resistance gene was found in 3 MRSA isolates colonized in the nares of preterm infants. All isolates harbored the disinfectant quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) resistance gene. PVL toxin gene was found in 57.5%, and the presence of PVL gene among colonizers and pathogens was similar (69.6% vs. 41.2%, P = 0.072). Mupirocin, chlorhexidine, and QAC-resistant MRSAs harboring the PVL toxin gene were found in the nasal carriages of preterm infants. In this highly vulnerable patient population, one-fourth of the isolates harbored mupirocin-resistant genes, and all were resistant to QAC disinfectants. These strains are associated with persistence in both carriage and environmental reservoirs within the hospitals.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

The Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF) is a four-day event in Melbourne, Australia, that supports and celebrates the work of Australian women filmmakers. Launched in 2017, the festival emerged from our desire as screen academics to increase the visibility of both professional and amateur women filmmakers and their work. Despite a strong history of grassroots and state-supported women’s creative cultures in Australia, women have remained marginal within the domestic screen industry. Women filmmakers are also underrepresented within the global festival circuit. This article traces the curatorial practices underpinning MWFF since its inception. We describe our approach to running a locally based, women-centered film festival; how we define “women” and “women’s filmmaking”; and how our programing choices support our festival ethos. We also contextualize our event as one that both continues and is in dialogue with women’s screen culture in Australia, particularly the one-off Women’s International Film Festival held in 1975. Locating our festival in this historical context, we argue that retrospective screenings play a particularly vital role at MWFF in achieving our festival aims. We recount our inaugural festival in 2017 and explain the significance of retrospectives in building a legacy for women filmmakers and making their achievements visible to the next generation.

Regular Cervical Cancer Screening for Iranian Women: Facilitators and Barriers

Introduction: Regular cervical cancer screening is an effective strategy to reduce the incidence and mortality rate of this disease. Therefore, the present study aimed to explain facilitators and barriers to performing regular Pap smear tests in Iranian women. Methods: This qualitative study was performed in 2017 in medical centers in Hamadan. The participants in this study were 23 women and 8 health care workers who were selected through purposive sampling. The inclusion criteria were the willingness to participate in the study and having the ability to communicate properly. The data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method with MAXQDA10 software. Results: Three main concepts were recognized as facilitators and barriers to regular Pap smear testing: (1) Belief vs. disbelief in the possibility of cancer control and treatment, (2) Priority vs. non-priority of health in life, and (3) Ability vs. inability to overcome the challenges ahead. Conclusion: Given the results of the study, it is necessary to establish policies to increase people's sensitivity to testing and the dominance of screening culture in society. Health officials also need to support training programs to promote women's understanding of the importance and impact of early diagnosis in controlling and treating cervical cancer and to develop and implement programs to reduce or eliminate financial, time, and emotional barriers.

The use of innovative pedagogical technologies in training of socio-cultural profile journalism students

The article considers aspects of the application of innovative pedagogical technologies in the training of future journalists of socio-cultural profile, while studying the course "History of Journalism". The method of its teaching involves conducting classes using both traditional (lectures, talks) and active innovative teaching methods (discussions, debates, brainstorming, debates, trainings, excursions to editorial offices, radio and television studios, project training, etc.). Innovative methods of teaching the discipline are considered in detail, which include: means of organizational and educational activities; introduction of modern pedagogical technologies; increasing the level of motivation to study; use of audiovisual teaching aids and computer technologies, etc. As most modern students have grown up in a screen culture, are visuals and actively use modern technology, teaching in the format of classical lectures and seminars loses its effectiveness. Thus, the main focus is on the process of organizing interactive learning using multimedia information visualization technologies, which contributes to the generalization and analysis of theory and practice. The influence of innovative pedagogical technologies on the formation of professional competencies, skills and abilities of students is analyzed. It is concluded that the introduction of innovative pedagogical technologies in the teaching of the discipline "History of Journalism" helps to increase the efficiency of classes, the formation of communication skills and abilities, gaining experience of interactive activities, dialogic interaction and creative confidence.

Diagnostic value of platelet indices for neonatal bacterial sepsis

Background Neonatal bacterial sepsis is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Blood culture as a gold standard, as well as C reactive protein (CRP), micro erythrocyte sedimentation rate (micro ESR), white blood count (WBC), and immature-to-total (I/T) ratio as a sepsis screens are currently used methods, but their utility may be limited due to delayed reporting. Platelet indices are one of the parameters which can be helpful in the diagnosis of neonatal bacterial sepsis.
 Objective To evaluate the use of platelet indices, either alone or in combination, with other laboratory screening parameters to diagnose neonatal bacterial sepsis. 
 Methods Neonates admitted to the Neonatal Unit of RSUP Dr. Muhammad Hoesin Hospital, Palembang, South Sumatera, and showing symptoms of sepsis were included in this study. Subjects underwent testing for blood culture, sepsis screen (CRP, micro ESR, WBC, I/T ratio), and platelet indices [platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW)].
 Results The 107 neonates who fulfilled the inclusion criteria consisted of 42 neonates with proven bacterial sepsis (positive blood culture), 10 neonates with probable bacterial sepsis (positive sepsis screen and negative blood culture), and 55 with clinical bacterial sepsis (negative in both blood culture and sepsis screen). There were no significant differences in platelet count among the proven bacterial sepsis, probable bacterial sepsis, and clinical bacterial sepsis groups. Platelet count < 150,000/ml, PDW ³ 16.8 fL, MPV ³ 10.8 fL and combinations of the three, were highly specific markers for proven sepsis, with specificities of 92.3%, 97%, 75.4%, and 80%, respectively. However, all of these parameters were poor predictive markers for positive cultures in neonatal clinical bacterial sepsis, with sensitivities of 19%, 7.1%, 35.7%, and 23.8%, respectively.
 Conclusion Platelet indices have high specificity but low sensitivity for the prediction of proven neonatal bacterial sepsis.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening upon inpatient hospital admission: Is there concordance between nasal swab results and samples taken from skin and soft tissue?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are associated with increased mortality and healthcare costs. In 2007, a Veterans' Affairs (VA) hospital implemented a MRSA nasal screening program, following a nationwide VA mandate, in an effort to reduce healthcare-associated MRSA infections. To evaluate the correlation between the nasal screening results for MRSA and culture results of wound and tissue sites. This retrospective study was conducted on inpatients at our VA hospital. Patients were included if they had undergone nasal screening for MRSA plus culture of a wound or tissue site within 30 days of hospital admission. In total, 337 patients underwent nasal screening and wound culture and 211 underwent nasal screening and wound and tissue cultures. The prevalence of MRSA nasal colonization was 14.2% for wound samples and 15.2% for tissue samples. The sensitivities of MRSA nasal screening for detecting MRSA were 64.6% for wound cultures and 65.5% for tissue cultures. Specificities were 86.2% and 88.8% for wound and tissue cultures, respectively. The positive predictive values (PPVs) were 43.7% and 51.2% for wound and tissue cultures, respectively, and the negative predictive values (NPVs) were high at 93.6% and 93.5%, respectively. In cases of wound or tissue samples for which culture results are pending, a negative MRSA nasal swab may be a component of the decision to withhold or discontinue MRSA-active agents.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis for the Prevention of Infectious Complications following Prostate Biopsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Infectious complications following prostate biopsy are increasing and fluoroquinolone prophylaxis has recently been banned by the European Commission. In this systematic review we summarize the evidence for different antibiotic prophylaxis regimens. We searched MEDLINE®, Embase® and Cochrane Database for randomized controlled trials (inception to October 2019) assessing antimicrobial interventions in prostate biopsy. Primary outcome was infectious complications. Exclusion criteria were simultaneous interfering interventions. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) was used to assess the certainty of evidence. Protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42015026354). Overall 59 randomized controlled trials (14,153 participants) and 7 different antimicrobial interventions were included. Antibiotic prophylaxis reduced infectious complications compared to no prophylaxis (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.40-0.77, p=0.0005, I2=15%, participants 1,753, studies 11). A short-term prophylaxis (single shot to 3 days) was inferior to a long-term prophylaxis (1 to 7 days) with fluoroquinolone (RR 1.89, 95% CI 1.37-2.61, p=0.0001, I2=0%, participants 3,999, studies 17). Fosfomycin trometamol was an alternative to fluoroquinolone with reduced rates of infectious complications (RR 0.49, 95 CI 0.27-0.87, p=0.02, I2=54%, participants 1,239, studies 3). Empiric prophylaxis was inferior to targeted prophylaxis (RR 1.81, 95% CI 1.28-2.55, p=0.0008, I2=48%, participants 1,511, studies 6). Standard prophylaxis was inferior to augmented prophylaxis (using multiple rather than single agent) using a fixed model (RR 2.10, 95% CI 1.53-2.88, p <0.0001, I2=71%, participants 2,597, studies 9), but not using a random model (p=0.07). No difference was observed in infectious complications based on route or timing of antimicrobial prophylaxis. The certainty of evidence was rated as low/very low. In countries where fluoroquinolones are allowed as antibiotic prophylaxis, a minimum of a full 1-day administration as well as targeted therapy in case of fluoroquinolone resistance is recommended. In countries with a ban on fluoroquinolones, fosfomycin is a good alternative, as is augmented prophylaxis, although no established standard combination exists to date.

Introduction to the Special Section on ‘Korean Screen Cultures’

This Special Section aims to showcase the vibrancy of new research in Korean Screen Cultures Studies. It does so by bringing together four articles by early career researchers in the field, each of whom is publishing in English for the first time. The articles address different forms of media, including genre film, TV chat shows, the television drama industry and K-pop music videos. Although this Special Section merely aims to bring together new research on Korean screen media, the articles collected here are linked by a loose theme. They explore ways in which different types of identity are constructed and negotiated through both media texts and their production processes.

Clinical Profile of Neonatal Early Onset Sepsis: A Study on the Current Scenario

Background: Neonatal early onset sepsis remains to be a challenge in India, owing to its variable presentation, diagnostic difficulty and high fatality. An attempt needs to be made to study its clinical profile for easy identification of such babies, with new antibiotic guidelines formulated based on current microorganisms isolated. The aim of the study is to study the clinical profile of early onset sepsis in neonates in terms of the risk factors, clinical factors and etiology, and ascertain factors associated with definite sepsis. Subjects and Methods: This hospital based cross-sectional study enrolled neonates with suspected early onset sepsis. Those with congenital anomalies, surgical conditions, gestation &lt;28 weeks and birth weight &lt;1kg excluded. Subjects were subjected to sepsis screen and blood culture, and their perinatal history recorded. Blood culture positive babies were considered to have definite sepsis. Data was analysed using Chi square with SPSS 18. Results: Among 300 babies enrolled, 70 babies had definite sepsis. The most common organism isolated was Klebsiella (27.1%) and Staphylococcus hemolyticus (21.4%), most showing sensitivity to Ampicillin and Gentamicin. Respiratory distress was the commonest presentation (71.3%). A significant association with definite sepsis was seen with prematurity (p =0.0026) and low birth weight (p =0.0052), perinatal risk factors namely premature rupture of membranes (p =0.004), foul smelling liquor (p=0.016) and birth asphyxia (p-value=0.02). 28.3% had positive sepsis screen, which was significant (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Early onset sepsis needs prompt identification and treatment initiation, possible with aid of sepsis screen and high index of suspicion with certain perinatal risk factors and gestational age and birth weight.