Public Health Research Institute

About: Public Health Research Institute is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Randomized controlled trial. The organization has 4889 authors who have published 8149 publications receiving 276945 citations.

Prevention of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase expression in Escherichia coli by a ribozyme.

Abstract: Ribozymes are potentially very powerful agents for perturbing intracellular gene expression. However, pilot experiments in eukaryotes have met with mixed success. We now report that a ribozyme designed to cleave the integrase gene of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), when transcribed from a plasmid in Escherichia coli, led to destruction of integrase RNA and complete blockage of integrase protein synthesis. These results indicate that ribozymes can be used to study intracellular gene expression in bacteria and that the HIV-1 integrase gene may be a useful target for therapeutic ribozymes.

Fitness and virulence costs of Candida albicans FKS1 hot spot mutations associated with echinocandin resistance

Abstract: The identification of FKS1 mutations in Candida albicans associated with echinocandin resistance has raised concerns over the spread of drug-resistant strains. We studied the impact of fks1 mutations on C. albicans virulence and fitness. Compared with wild-type strains for FKS1, echinocandin-resistant C. albicans strains with homozygous fks1 hot-spot mutations had reduced maximum catalytic capacity of their glucan synthase complexes and thicker cell walls attributable to increased cell wall chitin content. The fks1 mutants with the highest chitin contents had reduced growth rates and impaired filamentation capacities. Fks1 mutants were hypovirulent in fly and mouse models of candidiasis, and this phenotype correlated with the cell wall chitin content. In addition, we observed reduced fitness of echinocandin-resistant C. albicans in competitive mixed infection models. We conclude that fks1 mutations that confer echinocandin resistance come at fitness and virulence costs, which may limit their epidemiological and clinical impact.

Improving implementation of emental health for mood disorders in routine practice: Systematic review of barriers and facilitating factors

Abstract: Background: Electronic mental health interventions (eMental health or eMH) can be used to increase accessibility of mental health services for mood disorders, with indications of comparable clinical outcomes as face-to-face psychotherapy. However, the actual use of eMH in routine mental health care lags behind expectations. Identifying the factors that might promote or inhibit implementation of eMH in routine care may help to overcome this gap between effectiveness studies and routine care. Objective: This paper reports the results of a systematic review of the scientific literature identifying those determinants of practices relevant to implementing eMH for mood disorders in routine practice. Methods: A broad search strategy was developed with high sensitivity to four key terms: implementation, mental health care practice, mood disorder, and eMH. The reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was applied to guide the review and structure the results. Thematic analysis was applied to identify the most important determinants that facilitate or hinder implementation of eMH in routine practice. Results: A total of 13,147 articles were screened, of which 48 studies were included in the review. Most studies addressed aspects of the reach (n=33) of eMH, followed by intervention adoption (n=19), implementation of eMH (n=6), and maintenance (n=4) of eMH in routine care. More than half of the studies investigated the provision of mental health services through videoconferencing technologies (n=26), followed by Internet-based interventions (n=20). The majority (n=44) of the studies were of a descriptive nature. Across all RE-AIM domains, we identified 37 determinants clustered in six main themes: acceptance, appropriateness, engagement, resources, work processes, and leadership. The determinants of practices are expressed at different levels, including patients, mental health staff, organizations, and health care system level. Depending on the context, these determinants hinder or facilitate successful implementation of eMH. Conclusions: Of the 37 determinants, three were reported most frequently: (1) the acceptance of eMH concerning expectations and preferences of patients and professionals about receiving and providing eMH in routine care, (2) the appropriateness of eMH in addressing patients’ mental health disorders, and (3) the availability, reliability, and interoperability with other existing technologies such as the electronic health records are important factors for mental health care professionals to remain engaged in providing eMH to their patients in routine care. On the basis of the taxonomy of determinants of practices developed in this review, implementation-enhancing interventions can be designed and applied to achieve better implementation outcomes. Suggestions for future research and implementation practice are provided. [JMIR Ment Health 2018;5(1):e20]

Contribution of reactive oxygen species to pathways of quinolone-mediated bacterial cell death

Abstract: Background Quinolone-mediated death of Escherichia coli has been proposed to occur by two pathways. One is blocked by inhibitors of protein synthesis; the other is not. It is currently unknown how these two pathways fit with the recent observation that hydroxyl radical accumulation is associated with quinolone lethality.

Enhanced Expression of dltABCD Is Associated with the Development of Daptomycin Nonsusceptibility in a Clinical Endocarditis Isolate of Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract: Using isogenic clinical bloodstream Staphylococcus aureus strains from a patient with relapsing endocarditis, we investigated the transcriptional profiles of the mprF and dlt genes in the context of cell-surface charge and daptomycin nonsusceptibility. As in prior studies, a point mutation within mprF was observed in the daptomycin-nonsusceptible strain. However, neither the transcriptional profile of mprF nor the membrane phospholipid analyses were compatible with the anticipated mprF gain-in-function phenotype. In contrast, we demonstrated enhanced dlt expression coincident with increased positive surface charge and reduced daptomycin binding.