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Introduction Indications for flow diversion for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms have increased remarkably in recent years.1 This has been particularly useful for aneurysms that are difficult to treat via endosaccular or open approaches, such as pseudoaneurysms.2 Flow diversion, however, typically requires dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), which can contribute to greater morbidity particularly in patients with ruptured aneurysms or other comorbidities.3 The third‐generation iteration of the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) incorporates Shield technology, a phosphorylcholine coating designed to reduce thrombogenicity via mimicry of native cell membranes.4 In light of this reduced thrombogenicity, there have been reports of early transition to single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT), or other variations on DAPT, in patients treated with PED Shield. We therefore aim to characterize the antiplatelet regimens, and associated thromboembolic/hemorrhagic outcomes, utilized in patients with aneurysms treated with PED Shield. Methods Factors including demographics, comorbidities, rupture status, devices placed, and antiplatelet regimen, among others, were collected. Follow‐up data including aneurysm thromboembolic complication, hemorrhagic complication, new neurological deficit, aneurysm occlusion, and in‐stent thrombosis were also recorded. Results One‐hundred and eighty patients were included in analysis, 18 of which were acutely ruptured. One hundred and sixty‐two patients had a single device placed, while the remaining had two devices placed. Three patients were maintained on SAPT post‐procedurally (aspirin or clopidogrel), with two additional patients treated with SAPT plus an anticoagulant for other purposes. One hundred and seventy‐two patients were maintained on DAPT, most commonly aspirin/clopidogrel (115), followed by aspirin/ticagrelor (40), and aspirin/prasugrel (16). Seven patients had strokes of any kind, three of which were unrelated to the treatment territory, and two of the remaining 4 were non‐compliant with antiplatelet therapy. One patient had a new intraparenchymal hemorrhage, but no appreciable deficit. Of the 135 patients with 6‐month follow‐up, 77 had complete aneurysm occlusion, and 116 demonstrated no in‐stent thrombosis. Conclusion We demonstrate herein the similar safety profile and efficacy of PED Shield with varying antiplatelet regimens, including SAPT in isolated cases.

Background Endovascular management of wide‐necked bifurcation aneurysms poses a therapeutic challenge, as coiling often requires the use of multiple adjunctive stent constructs to achieve successful embolization without compromising parent vessel integrity. The Neuroform Atlas Stent System is a novel low‐profile, intraluminal remodeling device. The study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of Y‐stent–assisted coiling configuration constructs using the next generation stent for aneurysm coil embolization. Methods Subjects undergoing Y‐stent–assisted coiling in the ATLAS IDE (Safety and Effectiveness of the Treatment of Wide Neck, Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms with the Neuroform Atlas Stent System Investigational Device Exception) trial were identified for subgroup analysis. Enrollment in the trial was not stratified on the basis of the procedural stenting technique used. The primary efficacy end point was complete aneurysm occlusion (Raymond–Roy class 1) on 12‐month angiography, in the absence of re‐treatment or parent artery stenosis (>50%) at the target location. The primary safety end point was any major stroke or ipsilateral stroke or neurological death within 12 months. Adjudication of the primary end points was performed by an independent imaging core laboratory and the clinical events committee. Results A total of 60 subjects were identified. The mean age was 59, and 28.3% were men. The median aneurysm size was 6.7 mm, with a median neck size of 4.3 mm. Frequently reported aneurysm locations included the basilar apex (56.7%), anterior communicating artery (20.0%), and middle cerebral artery bifurcation (11.7%). The composite primary efficacy end point was achieved in 81.1% of subjects. Overall, 1.7% of subjects experienced a primary safety endpoint of major ipsilateral stroke or neurological death. Conclusion In the ATLAS IDE aneurysm cohort premarket approval study, Y‐stent–assisted coiling with Neuroform demonstrated high rates of complete aneurysm occlusion at 12 months, with low rates of morbidity.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to report a case of Lemierre syndrome associated mycotic aneurysm of the intracavernous carotid artery leading to cavernous sinus syndrome in an otherwise healthy, young man in the setting of COVID-19 infection. Observations: An 18-year-old, otherwise healthy male athlete developed fever, chills, and headache and was found to be positive for COVID-19 with gram negative bacteremia. While on systemic antibiotic treatment, he developed acute, left-sided, 6th nerve palsy and was found to have bacterial sinusitis, left-sided intracavernous mycotic aneurysm, and cavernous sinus thrombosis on imaging studies. Despite systemic antibiotic and antiplatelet therapy, he developed progressively worsening left-sided ophthalmoplegia and vision decline. He subsequently underwent left internal carotid artery embolization and cervical internal carotid artery sacrifice with excellent outcome. Conclusion and importance: Lemierre syndrome can have atypical presentations and complications, including cavernous sinus thrombosis and mycotic aneurysms. Recognition of signs and symptoms, including progressive multiple cranial neuropathies, can aid in early diagnosis and management, which requires multidisciplinary care tailored to each individual based on risk of intervention.

Background Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the context of COVID‐19 has received considerable attention for its propensity to affect patients of all ages. We aimed to evaluate the effect of age on functional outcome and mortality following an acute ischemic event. Methods and Results A prospectively maintained database from comprehensive stroke centers in Canada and the United States was analyzed for patients with AIS from March 14 to September 30, 2020 who tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2. The primary outcome was Modified Rankin Scale score at discharge, and the secondary outcome was mortality. Baseline characteristics, laboratory values, imaging, and thrombectomy workflow process times were assessed. Among all 126 patients with COVID‐19 who were diagnosed with AIS, the median age was 63 years (range, 27–94). There were 35 (27.8%) patients with AIS in the aged ≤55 years group, 47 (37.3%) in the aged 56 to 70 group, and 44 (34.9%) in the aged >70 group. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator and thrombectomy rates were comparable across these groups, (P=0.331 and 0.212, respectively). There was a significantly lower rate of mortality between each group favoring younger age (21.9% versus 45.0% versus 48.8%, P=0.047). After multivariable adjustment for possible confounders, a 1‐year increase in age was significantly associated with fewer instances of a favorable outcome of Modified Rankin Scale 0 to 2 (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95 CI%, 0.90–0.99; P=0.048) and higher mortality (OR, 1.06; 95 CI%, 1.02–1.10; P=0.007). Conclusions AIS in the context of COVID‐19 affects young patients at much greater rates than pre‐pandemic controls. Nevertheless, instances of poor functional outcome and mortality are closely tied to increasing age.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae pose significant treatment and infection prevention challenges. Escherichia coli sequence type (ST) 131 associated with the blaCTX-M-15 gene has been the dominant lineage of ESBL-producing E. coli in the US and worldwide. In this study, our objective was to determine the β-lactamase profile, means of dissemination, prevalence, and the clonal identity of ESBL-producing E. coli in our region of Western New York. Whole-genome SNP-based phylogenomics was used to assess 89 ceftriaxone-resistant (CTR) E. coli. Isolates were collected from both inpatients and outpatients and from urine and sterile-sites over a 2 month period in 2017 or throughout the year, respectively. ST131 was the predominant ST (46.0%), followed by ST38 (15.7%). The blaCTX-M-15 gene was commonly found in 53.7% of ST131 isolates, whereas the blaCTX-M-27 gene was found in 26.8% of ST131, though was significantly associated with ST38, and was found in 71.4% of those strains. When compared to ST131, ST38 E. coli exhibited increased frequency of resistance to nitrofurantoin and decreased frequency of resistance to ciprofloxacin and ampicillin-sulbactam. Using Nanopore long-read sequencing technology, an analysis of the ESBL genetic context showed that the blaCTX-M-15 gene was chromosomal in 68.2% of ST131, whereas the blaCTX-M-27 gene was plasmid-borne in all ST131 and 90% of ST38 isolates. Notably, the blaCTX-M-27 gene in ST38 resided on highly-related (99.0–100.0% identity and 65.0–98.0% query coverage) conjugative IncF plasmids of distinct plasmid multi-locus sequence types (pMLSTs) from those in ST131. Furthermore, ST131 and ST38 were found to harbor different antibiotic resistance gene and virulence factor profiles. These findings raise the possibility of an emerging ESBL-producing E. coli lineage in our region.

ABSTRACT Multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis, defined as tuberculosis resistant to the two first-line drugs isoniazid and rifampin, poses a serious problem for global tuberculosis control strategies. Lack of a safe and convenient model organism hampers progress in combating the spread of MDR strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We reasoned that auxotrophic MDR mutants of M. tuberculosis would provide a safe means for studying MDR M. tuberculosis without the need for a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratory. Two different sets of triple auxotrophic mutants of M. tuberculosis were generated, which were auxotrophic for the nutrients leucine, pantothenate, and arginine or for leucine, pantothenate, and methionine. These triple auxotrophic strains retained their acid-fastness, their ability to generate both a drug persistence phenotype and drug-resistant mutants, and their susceptibility to plaque-forming mycobacterial phages. MDR triple auxotrophic mutants were obtained in a two-step fashion, selecting first for solely isoniazid-resistant or rifampin-resistant mutants. Interestingly, selection for isoniazid-resistant mutants of the methionine auxotroph generated isolates with single point mutations in katG, which encodes an isoniazid-activating enzyme, whereas similar selection using the arginine auxotroph yielded isoniazid-resistant mutants with large deletions in the chromosomal region containing katG. These M. tuberculosis MDR strains were readily sterilized by second-line tuberculosis drugs and failed to kill immunocompromised mice. These strains provide attractive candidates for M. tuberculosis biology studies and drug screening outside the BSL3 facility. IMPORTANCE Elimination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium causing tuberculosis, requires enhanced understanding of its biology in order to identify new drugs against drug-susceptible and drug-resistant M. tuberculosis as well as uncovering novel pathways that lead to M. tuberculosis death. To circumvent the need for a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratory when conducting research on M. tuberculosis, we have generated drug-susceptible and drug-resistant triple auxotrophic strains of M. tuberculosis suitable for use in a BSL2 laboratory. These strains originate from a double auxotrophic M. tuberculosis strain, H37Rv ΔpanCD ΔleuCD, which was reclassified as a BSL2 strain based on its lack of lethality in immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice. A third auxotrophy (methionine or arginine) was introduced via deletion of metA or argB, respectively, since M. tuberculosis ΔmetA and M. tuberculosis ΔargB are unable to survive amino acid auxotrophy and infect their host. The resulting triple auxotrophic M. tuberculosis strains retained characteristics of M. tuberculosis relevant for most types of investigations.

Currently there are a dozen or so of new vaccine candidates in clinical trials for prevention of tuberculosis (TB) and each formulation attempts to elicit protection by enhancement of cell-mediated immunity (CMI). In contrast, most approved vaccines against other bacterial pathogens are believed to mediate protection by eliciting antibody responses. However, it has been difficult to apply this formula to TB because of the difficulty in reliably eliciting protective antibodies. Here, we developed capsular polysaccharide conjugates by linking mycobacterial capsular arabinomannan (AM) to either Mtb Ag85b or B. anthracis protective antigen (PA). Further, we studied their immunogenicity by ELISA and AM glycan microarrays and protection efficacy in mice. Immunization with either Abg85b-AM or PA-AM conjugates elicited an AM-specific antibody response in mice. AM binding antibodies stimulated transcriptional changes in Mtb. Sera from AM conjugate immunized mice reacted against a broad spectrum of AM structural variants and specifically recognized arabinan fragments. Conjugate vaccine immunized mice infected with Mtb had lower bacterial numbers in lungs and spleen, and lived longer than control mice. These findings provide additional evidence that humoral immunity can contribute to protection against Mtb.

O presente artigo objetiva apresentar uma análise gradual da construção do mito do Inferno, através de elementos poéticos e míticos que se convertem em uma perspectiva imagética. No decorrer do artigo foi possível averiguar a complexidade em torno da criação mítica do Inferno, assim como os vários aspectos referentes a poeticidade que os mitos proporcionaram durante a construção do Mito Inferno, na obra Eneida. Assim, este estudo pode ser visto como um estudo complexo de mitos que interagem entre si, formando um mito maior mediante a poeticidade destes engendramentos: o Mito e a Poesia, na peregrinação de Enéias ao Reino dos Mortos.

Sound absorbing materials have been widely used to decrease hazardous noise in indoor and outdoor environments. In the present study, we designed and constructed an experimental laboratory-scale chamber to measure the sound absorption coefficients of porous materials in comparison with the measurements of the test tube method. The main reason was to design and construct a small chamber to enable testing of acoustic material samples in small dimensions allowing easy and rapid testing of acoustic materials. The acoustic chamber method was based on the formation of reverberation field of the acoustic waves across testing chamber locations, but differences in sound pressure throughout the chamber may result in measurement errors. Therefore, the chamber was constructed with a volume of 2.85 m3, wall reflectors, and a rotating sound source was designed to ensure a diffusive field. The tests were conducted with samples of 12.4m2 installed on interior surfaces of the chamber. Sound absorption coefficients of acoustic polyethylene and polyurethane absorbents were measured across the central frequencies of the octave band. Sound absorption coefficients under reverberant random incidence and normal incidence were related to the sound frequency. The chamber method predicted higher sound absorption coefficients compared to the coefficients obtained by the tube test method for all tested porous materials. Based on the results of the proposed small chamber, it can be concluded that sound absorption coefficients measurement of samples in an environment was more similar to real situations.

The innate desire of man to praise the beauty of the world and the grandeur of humankind has made him to glorify the character of great men. The poetry collections by various poets have always been adorned with eulogizing the noble men and their excellence, and the purest of these eulogies have stood the test of time. With the emergence and spread of Islam, the praise of the nobility and excellence of character of the prophet of mercy, his progenitors, and his companions became the prelude of the poetry books of all Muslim poets. Classical Kurdish poets, most of whom have come from religious centers and schools, also have always been celebrated eulogizing the Prophet, and his progenitors and companions. Among them is the mystic poet Mullah Mahmoud Mufti with the pseudonym Bekhud, whose entire collection of poems is full of praise for the Prophet, his progenitors, and companions. He praises them in Kurdish and Persian, using a mystical and love-expressive language. In a descriptive-analytical method, this study deals with eulogizing the Prophet’s progenitors and companions in the poems by Bekhud in both Kurdish and Persian languages. By scrutinizing the exceptional excerpts of Bekhud’s poems, this paper shows that in these remarkable lyrical introductions, Bekhud goes beyond the fashionable narrative mode, giving his word an emotional color by presenting novel images and mystical expressions.

Abstract  Decompressive Craniectomy (DC) is used to treat elevated intracranial pressure that is unresponsive to conventional treatment modalities. The underlying cause of intracranial hypertension may vary and consequently there is a broad range of literature on the uses of this procedure. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction, and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are three conditions for which DC has been predominantly used in the past. Despite an increasing number of reports supportive of DC, the controversy over the suitability of the procedure and criteria for patient selection remains unresolved. Although the majority of published studies is retrospective, the recent publication of several randomized prospective studies prompts a reevaluation of the utility of DC. We review the literature concerning the use of DC in TBI, MCA infarction, and SAH and address the evidence regarding common questions pertaining to the timing of and laterality of the procedure. We conclude that at the time of this review, there still remains insufficient data to support the routine use of DC in TBI, stroke or SAH. There is evidence that early and aggressive use of DC in good-grade patients may improve outcome, but the notion that DC is indicated in these patients is contentious. At this point, the indication for DC should be individualized and its potential implications on long-term outcomes should be comprehensively discussed with the caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]