Impact of In-house Candida auris Polymerase Chain Reaction Screening on Admission on the Incidence Rates of Surveillance and Blood Cultures With C. auris and Associated Cost Savings.

Background: The impact of strategies for rapid diagnostic screening of Candida auris on hospital operations has not been previously characterized. We describe the implementation of in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on admission for screening of colonization with C. auris, associated process improvements, and financial impact. Methods: This study was conducted across an integrated health system. Patients were tested based on risk factors for C. auris carriage. Pre-intervention, the PCR was sent out to a reference laboratory, and postintervention was performed in-house. Changes in the incidence rates (IRs) of C. auris present on admission (CA-POA) and C. auris hospital-onset fungemia (CA-HOF) were assessed using interrupted time series analysis. The economic impact on isolation and testing costs was calculated. Results: Postintervention, the IR of CA-POA doubled (IRR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.16-5.69; P = .02) compared with the pre-intervention period. The baseline rate of CA-HOF was increasing monthly by 14% (95% CI, 1.05-1.24; P = .002) pre-intervention, while during the postintervention period there was a change in slope with a monthly decrease in IR of 13% (95% CI, 0.80-0.99; P = .02). The median turnaround time (TAT) of the results (interquartile range) was reduced from 11 (8-14) days to 2 (1-3) days. Savings were estimated to be between $772 513.10 and $3 730 480.26. Conclusions: By performing in-house PCR for screening of C. auris colonization on admission, we found a doubling of CA-POA rates, a subsequent decrease in CA-HOF rates, reduced TAT for PCR results, and more efficient use of infection control measures. In-house testing was cost-effective in a setting of relatively high prevalence among individuals with known risk factors.

Impact of a real-time diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship workflow on time to appropriate therapy for infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms.

INTRODUCTION: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative organisms cause life-threatening infections, and the incidence is rising globally. Timely therapy for these infections has a direct impact on patient survival. This study aimed to determine the impact of a multidisciplinary diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) workflow on time to appropriate therapy (TAP) for these infections using novel beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors. METHODS: This was a retrospective quasi-experimental study of adult patients with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas (MDR PsA) infections at a 1500 bed university hospital. Included patients who received ≥ 72 hours of ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) or ceftolozane-tazobactam (C/T) from December 2017 to December 2019. During the pre-intervention period (December 2017 to December 2018), additional susceptibilities (including CZA and C/T) were performed only upon providers' request. In 2019, reflex algorithms were implemented for faster identification and testing of all CRE/MDR PsA isolates. Results were communicated in real-time to the AMS team to tailor therapy. RESULTS: A total of 99 patients were included, with no between-group differences at baseline. The median age was 60 years and 56 (56.7%) were in intensive care at the time of culture collection. Identified organisms included 71 (71.7%) MDR PsA and 26 CRE, of which 18 were carbapenemase producers (Klebsiella-producing carbapenemase = 12, New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase = 4, Verona integron-encoded metallo-ß-lactamase = 2). The most common infections were pneumonia (49.5%) and bacteraemia (30.3%). A decrease was found in median TAP (103 [IQR 76.0-156.0] vs. 75 [IQR 56-100] hours; P < 0.001). Median time from culture collection to final susceptibility results was shorter in the post-intervention group (123 vs. 93 hours; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study identified improvement in TAP in MDR PsA and CRE infections with implementation of a reflex microbiology workflow and multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship initiatives.

Care Perceptions in two ICU Nursing Care Delivery Models: A qualitative-comparative approach / Percepciones del cuidado en dos modelos de atención de enfermería en UCI: aproximación cualitativa-comparativa / Percepções de cuidado em dois modelos de assistência de enfermagem em UTI: uma abordagem qualitativo-comparativa

Objective. Analyzed in compared perspective perceptions about nursing care, nurse-patient interaction, and nursing care outcomes in two ICU nursing staff in a high-complexity hospital institution, whose Nursing are Delivery Models (NCDM) are differentiated by the proportion of nurses and nurse assistants (NA) per team and by the assigned tasks and responsibilities. Methods. Particularist ethnography with adaptation to virtual methodologies. It included the sociodemographic characteristics of 19 nurses and 23 NA, 14 semi-structured interviews, review of patients' clinical records, and a focus group. Coding, categorization, inductive analysis, validation of results with participants were conducted and thematic saturation was achieved. Results. Four themes were identified: i) Professionalized care: a nursing of superior value; ii) senses and feelings of care; iii) nursing workload, generating factors and impacts; and iv) nursing missed care as concrete expression of the nursing workload. Conclusion. Compared nursing teams perceived nursing care in different ways, since it was experienced based on the assigned responsibilities and the possibilities of interaction with patients. Nursing care in the NCDM of the ICU with prevalence of direct bedside care by nurses with support from NA, it was perceived as holistic, comprehensive, and empathetic; whereas in the ICU with prevalence of delegated care to NA, it was related with administrative leadership and management of the ICU. Regarding the results, the NCDM of the ICU of direct bedside care by nurses showed better performance in patient safety and was closer to the skill level and legal responsibility of the nursing staff.

Objetivo. Analizar en perspectiva comparada las percepciones sobre el cuidado de enfermería, el relacionamiento con los pacientes y los resultados del cuidado en dos equipos de enfermería de UCI de una institución hospitalaria de alta complejidad, cuyos Modelos de Atención de Enfermería (MAE) se diferencian por la proporción de enfermeras y Auxiliares de Enfermería (AE) por equipo y por las tareas y responsabilidades asignadas. Métodos. Etnografía particularista con adaptación a metodologías virtuales. Incluyó la caracterización sociodemográfica a 19 enfermeras y 23 AE, 14 entrevistas semiestructuradas, revisión de historias clínicas de pacientes y un grupo focal. Se realizó codificación, categorización, análisis inductivo, validación de resultados con participantes y se logró la saturación temática. Resultados. Se identificaron cuatro temas: i) Cuidados profesionalizados: una enfermería de valor superior ii) sentidos y sentires del cuidado iii) carga de cuidado, factores generadores e impactos y iv) omisión del cuidado como expresión concreta de la carga de trabajo. Conclusión. Los equipos de Enfermería comparados percibieron el cuidado de enfermería de maneras distintas, pues se vivenció a partir de las responsabilidades asignadas y las posibilidades de relacionamiento con los pacientes. En el MAE de la UCI donde predomina el cuidado directo de enfermeras con apoyo AE, se percibió el cuidado como atención holista, integral y empática, mientras que en la UCI donde predomina el cuidado delegado a AE se relacionó con el liderazgo administrativo y la gestión de la sala de UCI. En cuanto a resultados, el MAE de la UCI de cuidado directo por enfermeras mostró mejor desempeño en seguridad del paciente y fue más cercano al nivel de competencias y de responsabilidad legal de los equipos de enfermería.

Objetivo. Analisar em perspectiva comparativa as percepções sobre o cuidado de enfermagem, a relação com os pacientes e os resultados do cuidado em duas equipes de enfermagem de UTI de uma instituição hospitalar de alta complexidade, cujos Modelos de Assistência de Enfermagem (MAE) diferem pela proporção de enfermeiros e auxiliares de enfermagem (AE) por equipe e por tarefas e responsabilidades atribuídas. Métodos.Etnografia particularista com adaptação a metodologias virtuais. Incluiu a caracterização sociodemográfica de 19 enfermeiros e 23 EA, 14 entrevistas semiestruturadas, revisão de prontuários e grupo focal. Codificação, categorização, análise indutiva, validação dos resultados com os participantes foram realizadas e a saturação temática foi alcançada. Resultados. Foram identificados quatro temas: i) Cuidado profissionalizado: enfermagem de valor superior ii) sentidos e sentimentos do cuidado iii) sobrecarga do cuidado, fatores geradores e impactos e iv) omissão do cuidado como expressão concreta da carga de trabalho. Conclusão. As equipes de Enfermagem compararam o cuidado de enfermagem percebido de diferentes maneiras, uma vez que foi vivenciado a partir das responsabilidades atribuídas e das possibilidades de relacionamento com os pacientes. No MAE da UTI onde predomina o cuidado direto por enfermeiros com apoio do EA, o cuidado foi percebido como cuidado holístico, integral e empático, enquanto na UTI onde predomina o cuidado delegado ao EA, estava relacionado à liderança administrativa e gestão da sala da UTI. Em termos de resultados, o MAE da UTI de cuidado direto por enfermeiros apresentou melhor desempenho na segurança do paciente e se aproximou mais do nível de competências e responsabilidade legal das equipes de enfermagem.

Care Perceptions in two ICU Nursing Care Delivery Models: A qualitative-comparative approach.

OBJECTIVES: Analyzed in compared perspective perceptions about nursing care, nurse-patient interaction, and nursing care outcomes in two ICU nursing staff in a high-complexity hospital institution, whose Nursing are Delivery Models (NCDM) are differentiated by the proportion of nurses and nurse assistants (NA) per team and by the assigned tasks and responsibilities. METHODS: Particularist ethnography with adaptation to virtual methodologies. It included the sociodemographic characteristics of 19 nurses and 23 NA, 14 semi-structured interviews, review of patients' clinical records, and a focus group. Coding, categorization, inductive analysis, validation of results with participants were conducted and thematic saturation was achieved. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: i) Professionalized care: a nursing of superior value; ii) senses and feelings of care; iii) nursing workload, generating factors and impacts; and iv) nursing missed care as concrete expression of the nursing workload. CONCLUSIONS: Compared nursing teams perceived nursing care in different ways, since it was experienced based on the assigned responsibilities and the possibilities of interaction with patients. Nursing care in the NCDM of the ICU with prevalence of direct bedside care by nurses with support from NA, it was perceived as holistic, comprehensive, and empathetic; whereas in the ICU with prevalence of delegated care to NA, it was related with administrative leadership and management of the ICU. Regarding the results, the NCDM of the ICU of direct bedside care by nurses showed better performance in patient safety and was closer to the skill level and legal responsibility of the nursing staff.

Regulation of Metabolic Health by an "Olfactory-Hypothalamic Axis" and Its Possible Implications for the Development of Therapeutic Approaches for Obesity and T2D.

The olfactory system is responsible for the reception, integration and interpretation of odors. However, in the last years, it has been discovered that the olfactory perception of food can rapidly modulate the activity of hypothalamic neurons involved in the regulation of energy balance. Conversely, the hormonal signals derived from changes in the metabolic status of the body can also change the sensitivity of the olfactory system, suggesting that the bidirectional relationship established between the olfactory and the hypothalamic systems is key for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis. In the first part of this review, we describe the possible mechanisms and anatomical pathways involved in the modulation of energy balance regulated by the olfactory system. Hence, we propose a model to explain its implication in the maintenance of the metabolic homeostasis of the organism. In the second part, we discuss how the olfactory system could be involved in the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type two diabetes and, finally, we propose the use of intranasal therapies aimed to regulate and improve the activity of the olfactory system that in turn will be able to control the neuronal activity of hypothalamic centers to prevent or ameliorate metabolic diseases.

Impact of Natural Compounds on DNA Methylation Levels of the Tumor Suppressor Gene RASSF1A in Cancer.

Epigenetic inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) is a fundamental event in the pathogenesis of human cancer. This silencing is accomplished by aberrant chromatin modifications including DNA hypermethylation of the gene promoter. One of the most frequently hypermethylated TSG in human cancer is the Ras Association Domain Family 1A (RASSF1A) gene. Aberrant methylation of RASSF1A has been reported in melanoma, sarcoma and carcinoma of different tissues. RASSF1A hypermethylation has been correlated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. Reactivation of epigenetically silenced TSG has been suggested as a therapy in cancer treatment. In particular, natural compounds isolated from herbal extracts have been tested for their capacity to induce RASSF1A in cancer cells, through demethylation. Here, we review the treatment of cancer cells with natural supplements (e.g., methyl donors, vitamins and polyphenols) that have been utilized to revert or prevent the epigenetic silencing of RASSF1A. Moreover, we specify pathways that were involved in RASSF1A reactivation. Several of these compounds (e.g., reseveratol and curcumin) act by inhibiting the activity or expression of DNA methyltransferases and reactive RASSF1A in cancer. Thus natural compounds could serve as important agents in tumor prevention or cancer therapy. However, the exact epigenetic reactivation mechanism is still under investigation.