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A formal melanoma primary prevention program was developed for a target audience of grade-school adolescents near Houston, Texas, focusing on skin cancer education and promoting long-term sun safety habits. Upon application of a multivariable regression model, adolescents of Black, non-Hispanic race, male gender, and lower grade levels were independent predictors of lower baseline skin cancer prevention knowledge. These findings reveal potential areas to prioritize when addressing knowledge gaps in the adolescent community.
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Vitamin A in high doses has been found to be highly teratogenic, leading to severe fetal abnormalities if exposure occurs during pregnancy. Hence, prescription vitamin A acne medications like isotretinoin are highly regulated via programs such as iPledge, which intend to avert fetal exposure to isotretinoin and to educate healthcare providers, pharmacists, and patients about the significant risks associated with isotretinoin and its appropriate usage conditions. However, over-the-counter (OTC) vitamin A supplements are not subject to these requirements, and calculating the vitamin A content of these supplements can be difficult due to the lack of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and inconsistencies in labeling. If the necessary information is provided, ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool, can help the general public calculate the vitamin A content of supplements. Nonetheless, supplement manufacturers do not always provide the data necessary for these calculations.
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INTRODUCTION: Podiatric infections are common in patients with and without diabetes. Biofilm detection would aid in determining the severity of foot infections and preventive strategies to manage them. OBJECTIVE: The authors studied the clinicomicrobiological profile of podiatric infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Organisms from podiatric specimens were identified and the antibiotic susceptibility of the organisms determined using standard microbiological methods. Organisms were screened for biofilm production using the microtiter plate method. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were screened for ica, cna, and hlg genes by multiplex PCR. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients were included in the study, and specimens from 71 patients were culture positive (60.6%). Gram-negative bacteria were predominant (n = 88 [73.3%]). S aureus (n = 32 [26.7%]) was the most common isolate. The rate of biofilm production was 54.2%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most prevalent biofilm producer (82.8%). The study revealed a statistically significant association of biofilm formation with MDR, MRSA, and prior antibiotic therapy with multiple (≥4) antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Isolation of MRSA or MDR strain from diabetic foot infections could alert the clinician to the possibility of treatment failure with a single drug regimen owing to associated biofilm production. Detection of biofilm producers and subsequent early debridement and/or cleaning of wounds might prevent chronic infection.
