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New antifungal therapies are needed for both systemic, invasive infections in addition to superficial infections of mucosal and skin surfaces as well as biofilms associated with medical devices. The resistance of biofilm and biofilm-like growth phases of fungi contributes to the poor efficacy of systemic therapies to nonsystemic infections.

New antifungal therapies are needed for both systemic, invasive infections as well as superficial infections of mucosal and skin surfaces as well as biofilms associated with medical devices. The resistance of biofilm and biofilm-like growth phases of fungi contributes to the poor efficacy of systemic therapies to non-systemic infections. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of a novel keto-alkyl-pyridinium scaffold with broad spectrum activity (2-16 µg/mL) against medically important yeasts and moulds, including clinical isolates resistant to azoles and/or echinocandins. Furthermore, these keto-alkyl-pyridinium agents retain substantial activity against biofilm phase yeast and have direct activity against hyphalA. fumigatus. Although their toxicity precludes use in systemic infections, we found that the keto-alkyl-pyridinium molecules reduceC. albicansfungal burden in a rat model of vascular catheter infection and reduceCandida auriscolonization in a porcine ex vivo model. These initial pre-clinical data suggest that molecules of this class may warrant further study and development.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide and is estimated to be the leading cause of death in the next 15 years. Patients with COPD suffer from persistent chronic cough, sputum production and exacerbations leading to deteriorating lung function, worsening quality of life and loss of independence. While evidence-based interventions exist to improve the well-being of patients with COPD, incorporation of these interventions into routine clinical care is challenging. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE) is a team-based, coordinated care transitions service integrating evidence-based interventions for COPD management within the patient care delivery model to reduce readmissions. This evaluation considers the process of scaling the COPD CARE service across medical facilities using an implementation package designed for service expansion. The implementation package was developed at the United States Veterans Health Administration and implemented at two medical centres. Core dissemination and implementation science methods were applied to guide design and delivery of the implementation package.The aims of this evaluation were to (1) evaluate the impact of the implementation package on use of evidence-based interventions for COPD management and (2) explore clinician perceptions of the implementation package. This prospective mixed-methods quality improvement project included two Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycles conducted over a 24-month period. Electronic health record data demonstrated significant improvements in the count of evidence-based interventions incorporated into routine clinical care after training completion (p

This study explores the status of peace education and its correlation to student perceptions of peace in social science curricula in Albanian universities. The study finds that social science programmes in Albania offer varying coverage of peace education topics. Using quantitative surveys of 460 social science university students, the study finds evidence for a positive understanding of peace. Employing a Pearson's correlation analysis, the study finds a lack of support for the hypothesis that the prevalence of peace topics in the curricula to which students are exposed significantly explains students’ perceptions of peace. The implications of the study are that Albanian curricula and students affirm a positive understanding of peace, yet more research is needed to understand what factors impact student perceptions of peace and how they may be leveraged to further peace education and overall peace dividends in Albania and beyond.

Extensive literature suggests that religiosity is a protective factor in reducing a number of deviant behaviors, including sexual aggression. Whereas previous research focused on the role of risky alcohol consumption in mediating the relationship between religiosity and sexual aggression, this study explores the hypothesized meditational paths from religiosity to sexual aggression and technology-based coercive behavior through peer norms, pornography consumption, and promiscuity. Findings from a four-year longitudinal study of male college students suggest that peer norms and promiscuity mediate the relationship between religiosity and both outcome measures, while pornography consumption mediates the relationship between religiosity and technology-based coercive behavior. These findings may inform ongoing practice and future research into possible mechanisms by which problematic sexual behaviors may be influenced.

Background Identification of factors that predispose to bleeding into ischemic brain could lead to safer use of thrombolytic agents in the setting of ischemic stroke. Recently de Courten-Meyers and colleagues reported that occluding the middle cerebral artery of markedly hyperglycemic cats was associated with 5-fold more frequent and 25-fold more extensive hemorrhage into infarcts than in normoglycemic animals. Hemorrhage associated with hyperglycemia in cats was much more pronounced with reperfusion than with permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Case Descriptions We describe two patients with a unique presentation of diffuse hemorrhagic infarction of the caudate and lentiform nuclei associated with initially marked hyperglycemia and the subsequent development of hemichorea. Conclusions We hypothesize that the marked hyperglycemia due to poor control of diabetes contributed to the hemorrhagic change of the caudate and lenticular nuclei. Because the hemorrhage in hyperglycemic cats was more pronounced in the setting of reperfusion, hemorrhagic risk associated with hyperglycemia should be investigated, particularly in ongoing thrombolytic treatment trials for acute ischemic stroke. We encourage other acute stroke investigators to prospectively look at the risk of brain hemorrhage in stroke patients with marked hyperglycemia.

Sixteen species of Nicotiana were examined for resistance to second instar larvae of the tobacco horn-worm, Manduca sexta (L.). The tests were designed so as to discriminate between antibiosis and nonpreference. High levels of antibiosis resistance were observed in several wild species such as N. gossei and species in the Repandae section. Several other species, such as N. excelsior, showed antibiosis that appeared to be due to a different mechanism than the alkaloid-trichome exudate based resistance of the above species. The data indicate that these species of Nicotiana may be used as a new source of resistance to larvae of M. sexta. RESUME D'especes sauvages de Nicotiania comme nouvelle source de resistance du tabac a Manduca sexta La resistance aux chenilles de second stade de Manduca sexta L. a ete examinee chez seize especes de Nicotiana. Les essais ont ete concus pour distinguer absence d'appetance et antibiose. Plusieurs especes sauvages comme N. gossei et les especes de la section Repandae ont presente un niveau eleve d'antibiose. D'autres especes, comme N. excelsior ont presente une antibiose vraisemblablement due a un mecanisme different de la resistance des especes precedentes provoquee par un exsudat alcaloide des trichomes. Les resultats indiquent que ces especes de Nicotiana peuvent etre utilisees comme nouvelle source de resistance aux chenilles de M. sexta.