A retrospective cohort study of Mycobacterium kansasii complex pulmonary infections at a tertiary teaching hospital.

Background: Mycobacterium kansasii complex (MKC) is the second common slowly growing mycobacterium associated with pulmonary diseases, typically presenting as chronic, progressive respiratory symptoms with structural lung damage. This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors, genotypes, antimicrobial susceptibility, and treatment outcomes in patients with MKC pulmonary disease (MKC-PD).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study of patients with MKC-PD from January 2016 to August 2021 was conducted at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan.

The Pathogenic Role of Anti-Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Autoantibodies in the Nocardiosis with the Central Nervous System Involvement.

Purpose: Anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies (anti-GM-CSF Abs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of Cryptococcus gattii (C. gattii) infection and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). Their presence has also been noted in nocardiosis cases, particularly those with disseminated disease.

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical signs and symptoms of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the different estimates in a different stage of the pandemic outbreak.

Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused enormous adverse socioeconomic impacts worldwide. Evidence suggests that the diagnostic accuracy of clinical features of COVID-19 may vary among different populations.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and the WHO Global Health Library for studies evaluating the accuracy of clinical features to predict and prognosticate COVID-19.

Cryptococcus gattii Infection as the Major Clinical Manifestation in Patients with Autoantibodies Against Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor.

Purpose: Anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies (anti-GM-CSF Abs) are a predisposing factor for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) and Cryptococcus gattii cryptococcosis. This study aimed to investigate clinical manifestations in anti-GM-CSF Ab-positive patients with C. gattii cryptococcosis and analyze the properties of anti-GM-CSF Abs derived from these patients and patients with PAP.

Pathogenic autoantibodies to IFN-γ act through the impedance of receptor assembly and Fc-mediated response.

Anti-interferon (IFN)-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) are a pathogenic factor in late-onset immunodeficiency with disseminated mycobacterial and other opportunistic infections. AIGAs block IFN-γ function, but their effects on IFN-γ signaling are unknown. Using a single-cell capture method, we isolated 19 IFN-γ-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from patients with AIGAs.

Determining Carina and Clavicular Distance-Dependent Positioning of Endotracheal Tube in Critically Ill Patients: An Artificial Intelligence-Based Approach.

Early and accurate prediction of endotracheal tube (ETT) location is pivotal for critically ill patients. Automatic and timely detection of faulty ETT locations from chest X-ray images may avert patients' morbidity and mortality. Therefore, we designed convolutional neural network (CNN)-based algorithms to evaluate ETT position appropriateness relative to four detected key points, including tracheal tube end, carina, and left/right clavicular heads on chest radiographs.

Necessity of Local Modification for Deep Learning Algorithms to Predict Diabetic Retinopathy.

Deep learning (DL) algorithms are used to diagnose diabetic retinopathy (DR). However, most of these algorithms have been trained using global data or data from patients of a single region. Using different model architectures (e.

Development and Feasibility of a Kinect-Based Constraint-Induced Therapy Program in the Home Setting for Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of childhood-onset physical disability. Children with CP often have impaired upper limb (UL) function. Constraint-induced therapy (CIT) is one of the most effective UL interventions for children with unilateral CP.

Anti-interferon-γ autoantibody-associated immunodeficiency.

Anticytokine autoantibodies are an emerging disease etiology, through the disturbance of physiological functions of cognate cytokines. Anti-interferon (IFN)-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) were first identified in patients with severe mycobacterial infections, and were considered to be an autoimmune phenocopy of inborn genetic errors of the IL-12/IFN-γ axis. More than 600 reported cases, most originating from Southeast Asia, have been diagnosed over the last decade.

Anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies underlie disseminated Talaromyces marneffei infections.

Talaromyces marneffei causes life-threatening opportunistic infections, mainly in Southeast Asia and South China. T. marneffei mainly infects patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but also infects individuals without known immunosuppression.

Comparison of the accuracy of neutrophil CD64, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein for sepsis identification: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Neutrophil CD64 is widely described as an accurate biomarker for the diagnosis of infection in patients with septic syndrome. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of neutrophil CD64, comparing it with C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) for the diagnosis of infection in adult patients with septic syndrome, based on sepsis-2 criteria. We searched the PubMed and Embase databases and Google Scholar.

Clinical features, outcomes, and molecular characteristics of an outbreak of Staphylococcus haemolyticus infection, among a mass-burn casualty patient group, in a tertiary center in northern Taiwan.

Background/purpose: We reported an outbreak of Staphylococcus haemolyticus (SH) infection in a group of young patients (mean age 21.6) simultaneously hospitalized due to a mass-burn incident. This study analyzed the clinical features of these patients and the microbiological characteristics of the outbreak.

Characterization of two novel variants of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec elements in oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis.

Objectives: Staphylococcus lugdunensis, a species of CoNS, has become an important hospital pathogen because of increasing resistance to β-lactam antibiotics such as methicillin and oxacillin. Methicillin resistance is mainly due to the acquisition of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec (SCCmec). Little is known about the structure of SCCmec in methicillin- or oxacillin-resistant CoNS.

Comparison of diagnostic accuracy in sepsis between presepsin, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (or presepsin) is a free fragment of glycoprotein expressed on monocytes and macrophages. Although many studies have been conducted recently, the diagnostic performance of presepsin for sepsis remains debated. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature to assess the accuracy of presepsin for the diagnosis of sepsis in adult patients and compared the performance between presepsin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT).

Disseminated Cryptococcosis Due to Anti-Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Autoantibodies in the Absence of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis.

Introduction: Autoantibodies to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) can cause acquired pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). Cases of acquired PAP susceptible to typical respiratory pathogens and opportunistic infections have been reported. Anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies have been reported in a few patients with cryptococcal meningitis.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome is more associated with bacteremia in elderly patients with suspected sepsis in emergency departments.

Early diagnosis of bacteremia for patients with suspected sepsis is 1 way to improve prognosis of sepsis. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) has long been utilized as a screening tool to detect bacteremia by front-line healthcare providers. The value of SIRS to predict bacteremia in elderly patients (≥65 years) with suspected sepsis has not yet been examined in emergency departments (EDs).

Identification of a major epitope by anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies in patients with mycobacterial disease.

The binding of autoantibodies (autoAbs) to interferon (IFN)-γ in people with mycobacterial diseases has become an emerging medical concern. Many patients display specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II haplotypes, which suggests that a common T cell-dependent and B cell-dependent mechanism might underlie the production of specific anti-IFN-γ autoAbs. We show here that these autoAbs target a major epitope (amino acids 121-131, designated position (P)121-131) in a region crucial for IFN-γ receptor (IFN-γR) activation to impair IFN-γ-mediated activities.

Tigecycline-based versus sulbactam-based treatment for pneumonia involving multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex.

Background: The treatment options for pneumonia involving multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR Acb) complex are limited, and the optimal treatment has not been established.

Methods: To compare the efficacy of tigecycline-based with sulbactam (or ampicillin/sulbactam)-based therapy for pneumonia involving MDR Acb complex, we conducted a retrospective study comparing 84 tigecycline-treated adult patients during the period August 2007 to March 2010 with 84 sulbactam or ampicillin/sulbactam-treated adult patients during the period September 2004 to July 2007. Both groups had the matched Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score and received treatment for at least 7 days.

Clinical manifestations, course, and outcome of patients with neutralizing anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies and disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infections.

Neutralizing anti-interferon-γ autoantibody (nAIGA)-associated immunodeficiency is an emerging medical issue worldwide. In the present study, we describe and discuss the clinical features and outcomes of patients with nAIGAs and disseminated infections by nontuberculous mycobacteria (dNTM).We thoroughly reviewed the medical records of all patients.

Clinical Features, Outcomes, and Molecular Characteristics of Community- and Health Care-Associated Staphylococcus lugdunensis Infections.

Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a major cause of aggressive endocarditis, but it is also responsible for a broad spectrum of infections. The differences in clinical and molecular characteristics between community-associated (CA) and health care-associated (HA) S. lugdunensis infections have remained unclear.

Molecular Characteristics of Disease-Causing and Commensal Staphylococcus lugdunensis Isolates from 2003 to 2013 at a Tertiary Hospital in Taiwan.

Objectives: Staphylococcus lugdunensis can cause community- and healthcare-associated infections. This study investigated the molecular characteristics of S. lugdunensis isolates collected at our hospital and compared the characteristics of the infectious and commensal isolates.

Persistence of a major endemic clone of oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis sequence type 6 at a tertiary medical centre in northern Taiwan.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology and clinical characteristics of a major clone of oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis in a tertiary hospital.

Methods: All S. lugdunensis isolated from sterile sites between June 2003 and May 2013 were collected for analysis.

Postural control during standing reach in children with Down syndrome.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the dynamic postural control of children with Down syndrome (DS). Specifically, we compared postural control and goal-directed reaching performance between children with DS and typically developing children during standing reach. Standing reach performance was analyzed in three main phases using the kinematic and kinetic data collected from a force plate and a motion capture system.