An audit of dog-related injury notification practices in a New Zealand public hospital.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the rate of notification by health professionals to an appropriate authority, for all DRIs that presented during the 2018/19 year to a New Zealand public hospital, and to describe the incidence and characteristics of these presentations. METHOD: Data were obtained from all discharges from a New Zealand public hospital, with the primary external cause of injury code W54.0 (Bitten by Dog) + W54.1 (Struck by Dog) or W54.8 (Other Contact with Dog) as per the Australian Modification of the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, during the period from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019. Clinical notes were screened for documentation of notification of the incident to an appropriate authority, including local animal management, social work, Oranga Tamariki (NZ's child protection services), or police. RESULTS: There were 329 presentations to the emergency department with a DRI, 97% of which (n=320) were dog bites. There was a non-significant higher one-year cumulative incidence in children aged 0-9 years compared to adults aged 15 years and over. Children aged 0-9 years were also more likely to be injured on the head, face or neck, compared to adults or children 10-14 years, who were more likely to be injured on their limbs or torso. Notification of incidents were notified to an authority in 1.5% of incidents, including animal management services or a social worker. CONCLUSION: This study found a low rate (1.5%) of documented notification by health professionals of dog bites and other DRIs. Further research is required to investigate the evidence for introducing strategies to increase reporting on the incidence of injuries, and any potential impact on presentations for medical attention.

Combining engineered resistance, avidin, and natural resistance derived from Solanum chacoense bitter to control Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is the most destructive insect pest of potato, Solanum tuberosum (L.), in North America. Avidin sequesters available biotin, thereby causing abnormal growth and development of insects. We expressed avidin in two potato lines: MSE149-5Y, a susceptible potato line, and ND5873-15, a line with S. chacoense-derived insect resistance. A preliminary study was conducted to determine the bioactivity of the transgene in each background. A single transgenic line was selected in each background for further studies. Detached leaf bioassays were performed on transgenic and nontransgenic clones of the susceptible and S. chacoense lines by using first-stage Colorado potato beetle larvae. Consumption, survival, and survivor growth were measured after 5 d. Larvae consumed significantly less on the two avidin-expressing lines compared with the nontransgenic lines. Survival was also significantly less for larvae feeding on transgenic avidin lines compared with the nontransgenic lines. The mass of survivors was significantly reduced on two transgenic avidin lines compared with the nontransgenic lines. Further studies examined the development from first-stage larvae to adulthood on greenhouse-grown whole plants in a no-choice setting for larvae fed on the four potato lines. Development from first stage to pupation was significantly prolonged for larvae fed on the avidin line compared with larvae fed on the susceptible line. Significantly fewer larvae fed on transgenic avidin plants, avidin or avidin + S. chacoense-derived line survived to adulthood compared with survival on nontransgenic plants, susceptible or S. chacoense-derived line. Avidin-based resistance may be useful in managing Colorado potato beetle populations in commercial planting by reducing the population size.

Evaluation of natural and engineered resistance mechanisms in potato against Colorado potato beetle in a no-choice field study.

The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, is the major insect pest of potato, Solanum tuberosum L., in eastern North America and is renowned for resistance development, currently resistant to >40 insecticides worldwide. Host plant resistance may assist in delaying in resistance development to insecticides. We evaluated natural host plant resistance mechanisms (glandular trichomes and Solanum chacoense Bitter-derived resistance) and engineered resistance mechanisms (Bacillus thuringiensis [Bt] Berliner cry3A and cry1Ia1) in a no-choice cage study. Six different potato lines representing four host plant resistance mechanisms were evaluated over 2 yr. Egg masses were placed in each cage (one egg mass per plant). Almost no feeding was observed in the Bt-cry3A lines, and only minor feeding was observed in the Bt-cry1Ia1 lines in either year. On the S. chacoense-derived line, there was significantly less defoliation than on either the susceptible line or the glandular trichome line in 2003. In 2004, there was significantly higher defoliation on the S. chacoense-derived line than on the susceptible line or glandular trichome line. The defoliation of the Solanum chacoense-derived line was largely due to larvae clipping the petioles, rather than consumption of the leaves. Defoliation on the glandular trichome line did not differ significantly from the defoliation of the susceptible line, suggesting glandular trichomes may not be effective in controlling larvae and preventing defoliation. This study suggested that Bt can provide high levels of resistance, but the natural resistance mechanisms tested here are variable for control of Colorado potato beetle larvae in no-choice situations.

Insecticidal activity of avidin combined with genetically engineered and traditional host plant resistance against Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) larvae.

Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), is a destructive pest of potato, Solanum tuberosum (L.), in North America. It is renowned for adapting to insecticides. With the arsenal of effective insecticides decreasing, it is important to consider alternative forms of control. Biotin is an essential coenzyme for insect growth and development. Avidin is a protein found in chicken egg that sequesters biotin and has shown insecticidal properties against a range of insect. We assessed the effectiveness of avidin against the Colorado potato beetle neonates in a no-choice detached leaf bioassay at 0, 17, 34, 51, 102, and 204 microg avidin/ml over 12 d. The LC50 was 136 microg avidin/ml (108-188 95% CL). The combined effects of avidin (136 microg avidin/ml) with Bt-Cry3A or leptines were evaluated with neonates and third instars over 12 and 6 d, respectively. Three potato lines were used: susceptible line, a line engineered to express Cry3A from Bacillus thuringiensis, and a line expressing the natural resistance factor leptines. The addition of avidin at the LC50 concentration significantly reduced consumption by neonates, but it did not affect consumption by third instars feeding on the susceptible line and the leptine line. Survival of neonates feeding on the susceptible line with avidin was significantly reduced compared with the susceptible line. Survival of third instars on the Bt-Cry3A with avidin was significantly reduced after 3 d compared with survival on the Bt-Cry3A, suggesting the addition of avidin may increase susceptibility to Bt-Cry3A.

Novel Brentuximab Vedotin Combination Therapies Show Promising Activity in Highly Refractory CD30+ Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) are a heterogeneous group of hematologic malignancies which typically respond to standard first-line chemoimmunotherapy regimens. Unfortunately, patients with refractory NHL face a poor prognosis and represent an unmet need for improved therapeutics. We present two cases of refractory CD30+ NHL who responded to novel brentuximab vedotin- (BV-) based regimens. The first is a patient with stage IV anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with cranial nerve involvement who failed front-line treatment with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, etoposide, and prednisone (CHOEP) and second line cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone alternating with high-dose methotrexate (MTX), and cytarabine (hyperCVAD) with intrathecal- (IT-) MTX and IT-cytarabine, but responded when BV was substituted for vincristine (hyperCBAD). The second patient was a man with stage IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with leptomeningeal involvement whose disease progressed during first-line rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) and progressed despite salvage therapy with rituximab, dexamethasone, cytarabine, and cisplatin (R-DHAP) in whom addition of BV to topotecan resulted in a significant response. This report describes the first successful salvage treatments of highly aggressive, double refractory CD30+ NHL using two unreported BV-based chemoimmunotherapy regimens. Both regimens appear effective and have manageable toxicities. Further clinical trials assessing novel BV combinations are warranted.

Overcoming resistance in chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Chronic myeloid leukemia is defined by the acquired genetic mutation, t(9;22), which leads to the fusion-protein BCR-ABL. Prior to the development of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), treatment was limited and provided only limited survival benefit. Imatinib has dramatically changed the course of the disease and has led to the significantly prolonged survival in the majority of patients. However, there is growing concern for resistance to imatinib and to subsequent second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (dasatinib and nilotinib) due to the T315I mutation. With no currently approved effective treatment for TKI-resistant CML with the T315I mutation, molecularly-based, targeted drug development has focused on several strategies to overcome resistance. In this review, we describe agents which overcome the T315I mutation, as well as native BCR-ABL, via several mechanisms, including increased degradation of BCR-ABL, optimization of direct inhibition of the BCR-ABL kinase, inhibition of BCR-ABL-mediated cell growth via interruption of the BCR-ABL-mediated transcription, protein synthesis or post-translational modification, all of which lead to decreased proliferation and malignant cell death.